Long Man
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Author Description
A river called Long Man has coursed through East Tennessee from time immemorial, bringing sustenance to the people who farm along its banks and who trade between its small towns. But in 1936, the Tennessee Valley Authority's plans to dam the river and flood the town of Yuneetah for the sake of progress -- to bring electricity and jobs to the hardscrabble region -- are about to take effect. Just one day remains before the river will rise, and most of the town has been evacuated. Among the holdouts is a young mother, Annie Clyde Dodson, whose ancestors have lived for generations on her mountaintop farm; she'll do anything to ensure that her three-year-old daughter, Gracie, will inherit the family's land. But her husband wants to make a fresh start in Michigan, where he has found work that will secure the family's future. As the deadline looms, a storm as powerful as the emotions between them rages outside their door. Suddenly, they realize that Gracie has gone missing. Has she simply wandered off into the rain? Or has she been taken by Amos, the mysterious drifter who has come back to town, perhaps to save it in a last, desperate act of violence?
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
A mother fights to save her ancestral home and her missing daughter as a dam threatens to flood her Tennessee town in 1936. Annie Clyde Dodson is determined to keep her family's mountaintop farm, a legacy passed down through generations, despite the impending floodwaters of the Tennessee Valley Authority's new dam. Her husband, however, seeks a new life and employment in Michigan, creating a rift between them. As a powerful storm mirrors their internal turmoil and the town of Yuneetah faces evacuation, their three-year-old daughter, Gracie, vanishes, leaving Annie Clyde to confront the possibility of her child being taken by a mysterious drifter with a violent past.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- The central conflict revolves around the impending destruction of Yuneetah by the TVA dam and Annie Clyde's fight to preserve her family's land.
- The narrative explores the tension between tradition and progress, represented by Annie Clyde's connection to her ancestral farm and the TVA's modernization efforts.
- A significant plot point is the disappearance of Annie Clyde's daughter, Gracie, raising questions of accidental wandering or abduction.
- The character of Amos, a mysterious drifter, introduces an element of potential danger and desperate action.
- The story is set against the backdrop of East Tennessee in 1936, a period of significant societal and economic change.
- The relationship between Annie Clyde and her husband is strained by their differing views on the family's future.
- A powerful storm serves as a symbolic representation of the emotional turmoil faced by the characters.
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
The premise sets up a compelling narrative of a mother's fierce determination against overwhelming forces, blending historical context with personal stakes. The inclusion of a missing child and a mysterious drifter suggests a plot that will likely build suspense and emotional intensity. The focus on family legacy and the impact of industrial progress on a close-knit community points to themes of belonging and resistance. The setting in 1930s East Tennessee, a region undergoing significant transformation, provides a rich historical and cultural landscape for the story's unfolding drama.
Page Count:
453
Publication Date:
2014-01-01
Publisher:
Books on Tape
ISBN-10:
1410468429
ISBN-13:
9781410468420
Fiction
Contemporary
Historical Fiction
Southern Gothic
Family Saga
