Official Review: Too Bad She's a Girl by J W Templeman
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[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Too Bad She's a Girl" by J W Templeman.]
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Shawnee Bluff, Kentucky is a small but growing town, attracting young veterans and their families to a wholesome life of God, country and good living. It’s a place where children explore their world: playing in creeks and along the railroad tracks, then coming home for meals and heading back out again.”. Much of their lives revolve around pick-up baseball games and traipsing through creeks and fields, creating fun and trouble along the way.
Patty Jo and her brother, Rusty, are among the children that roam the town. Patty Jo loves to join the boys in their many antics, as well as on the ball field. Her father often expresses his wish that his daughter, who shows interest in lawn mowing, mechanics and playing ball, was a boy. In that time period, girls just did not do those things. Coach Mack sees her talents and wonders if she could pass as a boy in the big game against the rival team, Olive Hill. He sets his plan in action, making most of the team wonder if this girl is going to make him look bad. Her parents have somewhat predictable reactions to her farce. Patty Jo, despite liking to play with the boys, is also a compassionate soul. A new girl, Flannery, has come to town. Flannery is staying with relatives while she has her illegitimate baby. Back then, it was common for girls to go visit out-of-town family when they were in “trouble”. Patty Jo and a local boy, Nick, become Flannery’s only friends.
Another vital subplot is that of alcoholism and its impact on families. When a father deals with his war wounds through alcohol abuse, it affects not only his family but also those around him. In Too Bad She’s A Girl, we see how friends and mothers, as well as the immediate family deal with what was then considered a weakness and a sin, but we also see how they deal with it together. Additionally, the story explores the view of sin and having children outside of marriage, as Flannery becomes a part of the town’s life. We see how people, as well as the Church, reacted to her sins. In today’s world, some of their reactions would be inconceivable, but some are more forward thinking than we might have expected in the 1950s.
I rate this story 3 out of 4 stars. The basic story is interesting and gives one quite a bit to think about in regards to how society has changed over the years. However, many scenes, especially those set in the family home, seemed repetitive. Less of those scenes would have helped to keep focus on the primary story lines. From a sociological perspective, one can really get a good picture at how different groups in society viewed things such as sin and out of wedlock marriage a mere sixty years ago. It is so different today. Anyone who enjoys seeing those differences and the progress we have made since then would enjoy this story.
******
Too Bad She's a Girl
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Shawnee Bluff, Kentucky is a small but growing town, attracting young veterans and their families to a wholesome life of God, country and good living. It’s a place where children explore their world: playing in creeks and along the railroad tracks, then coming home for meals and heading back out again.”. Much of their lives revolve around pick-up baseball games and traipsing through creeks and fields, creating fun and trouble along the way.
Patty Jo and her brother, Rusty, are among the children that roam the town. Patty Jo loves to join the boys in their many antics, as well as on the ball field. Her father often expresses his wish that his daughter, who shows interest in lawn mowing, mechanics and playing ball, was a boy. In that time period, girls just did not do those things. Coach Mack sees her talents and wonders if she could pass as a boy in the big game against the rival team, Olive Hill. He sets his plan in action, making most of the team wonder if this girl is going to make him look bad. Her parents have somewhat predictable reactions to her farce. Patty Jo, despite liking to play with the boys, is also a compassionate soul. A new girl, Flannery, has come to town. Flannery is staying with relatives while she has her illegitimate baby. Back then, it was common for girls to go visit out-of-town family when they were in “trouble”. Patty Jo and a local boy, Nick, become Flannery’s only friends.
Another vital subplot is that of alcoholism and its impact on families. When a father deals with his war wounds through alcohol abuse, it affects not only his family but also those around him. In Too Bad She’s A Girl, we see how friends and mothers, as well as the immediate family deal with what was then considered a weakness and a sin, but we also see how they deal with it together. Additionally, the story explores the view of sin and having children outside of marriage, as Flannery becomes a part of the town’s life. We see how people, as well as the Church, reacted to her sins. In today’s world, some of their reactions would be inconceivable, but some are more forward thinking than we might have expected in the 1950s.
I rate this story 3 out of 4 stars. The basic story is interesting and gives one quite a bit to think about in regards to how society has changed over the years. However, many scenes, especially those set in the family home, seemed repetitive. Less of those scenes would have helped to keep focus on the primary story lines. From a sociological perspective, one can really get a good picture at how different groups in society viewed things such as sin and out of wedlock marriage a mere sixty years ago. It is so different today. Anyone who enjoys seeing those differences and the progress we have made since then would enjoy this story.
******
Too Bad She's a Girl
View: on Bookshelves |
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