Family
“Dreams Are Forever” There’s still enough summer left to work in a good book By DEBBIE SETTLE Of The Edge Dreams are Forever is a story that takes place in 1956, and is about two young men who are in their senior year of high school. Dak and J.D. (Johnny David) are the main characters and the setting is Shawneetown. A couple of storylines take place throughout the book. The first about Dak’s family, and how his father was killed in the war. Second about his friendship with J.D. and how they are struggling with being in-between boy and man, searching for treasure and love at the same time. Finally, the twisting story of the finding of two abandoned graves, it’s link to slavery and a mysterious mansion in town. The story unfolds in a fascinating way, linking Dak’s family to the mansion, a place that the whole town finds intriguing. The book is a different genre’ and I am not totally sure who the target audience is, but it is a good read for men or women, young and old, those who enjoy history, especially since it takes place in historic Shawneetown. According to the notes on the book cover, Shawneetown is the oldest town in the state of Illinois and is a “little-known historic jewel.” The author, William Hayes, has explored its (Shawneetown) tragic history and the culture of the ‘50s in this fun, and often moving, account of a principled and resolute young man coming of age while wrestling with some terrifying situations. The reader will catch themselves wishing that the youth of today would read this and take lessons of the maturity and focus that the main character portrays. The author does capture the probability of the main character ’s need to mature early since his father was an absent figure in his life and his family dynamic. The setting is definitely a simpler time when there was not a fascination with television,
August 13, 2009
the Internet, cell phones, etc., and kids still had chores and a respect for authority. Heading to the local swimming hole was a treat and looking for treasure was entertainment that kept a makebelieve hope alive. The book’s description is: “William Hayes, a lover of history and writing, spent his childhood in the historic old town where this novel takes place. After receiving his Master ’s Degree in Physics
from Northwestern University, he did a lot of writing of another kind as part of the team that put man on the moon, developed the Space Shuttle, and put the International Space Station in orbit. For that work, he received the NASA Public Service Medal. Along with his two sons and four grandchildren, he and his wife Jean make their home in Texas.” “Dreams are Forever” is published by Llumina Press, www.llumina. com. It is available at Amazon.com.
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