Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands

Rating:
Summary: An admirable debut novel
Review: Florida is hardly the place one would look to find the hotbed of violence and hatred that was the Ku Klux Klan in 1951. However, as Susan Carol McCarthy tells us in her highly effective debut novel, at that time, it was. Reesa McMahon's nightmare begins in spring of that year when a nineteen year old black youth named Marvin Cully is killed. Marvin was her friend and worked as citrus picker in her father's orange grove. This event sets off a wave of violence throughout the state. Bombs explode and people are killed as far south as Miami. The NAACP and FBI get involved and eventually Reesa's father, Warren, is involved as a sympathizer for the blacks. This leads to an eventual clash between Warren and the local black community versus the KKK.
Susan Carol McCarthy displays a prodigious talent at writing realistic historical fiction. There is much to be admired in this work. The civil rights era is brought fully to life in her hands. There is a great sense of place in that the reader could almost smell the fragrant citrus groves of this small central Florida town. However, most impressive of all is her depiction of the characters. They are both empathetic and realistic including the dialogue they speak. In a sense, it is a coming of age novel. It represents a clash between childhood innocence and the harsh realities of the adult world comprised of racial bigotry and hatred. Remnicent of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, LAY THAT TRUMPET IN OUR HANDS is a microcosmic saga that reveals the triumph of good over evil in the framework of a small southern town. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Breathtaking!!! I couldn't put it down!
Review: I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and this book definitely rates near the top of my list.

While reading Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands, I was stricken with many emotions. Susan Carol McCarthy weaves a heartbreaking story of life in central Florida during the years of 1951-1952.

It begins with Reesa McMahon a young northerner who resides in Florida with her parents and two younger brothers. When her best friend Marvin, a young black man who worked in her parents' orange grove, was murdered by the KKK, Reesa is thrown into a world where she is forced to come to terms with the deception and brutality of the local government and become an adult when she should be enjoying childhood.

If you're like me, this book will amaze you with what we didn't learn in history books. I'm not sure why, but I never thought of Florida as a "Southern" state. This book reveals the truth behind one of the worst times in the Civil Rights Movement, and introduces new heroes who will forever be remembered!

You WILL love this book!

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Rating:
Summary: Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands
Review: While reading this book, I kept saying to myself and my husband, "I didn't know that or did you know that. . .". In other words, this book is based on facts of historical events involving the KKK and the FBI that occurred in Florida in 1951-1952. However, this story is far from boring; it's told from a young girl's perspective as she grows up emotionally. Not only does Ms. McCarthy tell a story of fearful circumstances but also personalizes it so that we rout for this girl, her family and the community. Every anecdote ties together perfectly. I especially didn't want to read about a "rattler race" in a dry sinkhole, yet I couldn't stop myself. So will you.