Friendship, hatred and courage collide at a muddy swimming hole and in a nearby mountain town during the summer of 1979. As tensions rise, new bonds form and violence erupts, everything changes for Molly Ann Maynard, her brother Emerson and their friends, as well as for the intriguing Sri Lankan young woman they invite to the Blue Hole with them. Emerging from the shadows, a group that tolerates no outsiders wreaks chaos and severs relationships. Yet in the midst of destruction, hope and strength survive.
“The Last Summer,” originally entitled “The Blue Hole and the Burning Cross,” was originally published in the short story collection Grit & Grace: Portraits of a Woman’s Life. Thanks to suggestions from enthusiastic readers and reviewers, the author later expanded on the short story's ideas and characters, resulting in the novel Blue Hole Back Home, which went on to win the 2009 Christy Award for Best First Novel. A story not only of the devastating effects of bigotry and cowardice but also a celebration of courage and healing, the novel Blue Hole Back Home has been widely used to spark discussions by a variety of universities, high schools and book clubs, including being chosen as the Common Book by Baylor University, Amarillo College and other educational institutions.
“The Last Summer,” originally entitled “The Blue Hole and the Burning Cross,” was originally published in the short story collection Grit & Grace: Portraits of a Woman’s Life. Thanks to suggestions from enthusiastic readers and reviewers, the author later expanded on the short story's ideas and characters, resulting in the novel Blue Hole Back Home, which went on to win the 2009 Christy Award for Best First Novel. A story not only of the devastating effects of bigotry and cowardice but also a celebration of courage and healing, the novel Blue Hole Back Home has been widely used to spark discussions by a variety of universities, high schools and book clubs, including being chosen as the Common Book by Baylor University, Amarillo College and other educational institutions.
Used availability for Joy Jordan-Lake's The Last Summer