Chronicles my path from birth to manhood; from the great depression in 1929 through the great war ending in 1945.
Available in paperback at $9.95 only from Publish America - search for Henry Custer. Hardcover version is out of print.
What kind of floors do you live on; Carpet, Hardwood, or Dirt? Does it affect quality of life?The poignant story of one boy growing up in the foothills of eastern Oklahoma, the first of eight children, loved and cared for by hard working, but uneducated parents. From the beginning of the Great Depression of 1929 to the end of World War Two in 1945, you will share the day-to-day hardships and occasional disaster, as well as the daily joy of just being themselves, as the author shares his worst and finest memories of childhood. Intermingled are the nightmares and stories related by a superstitious Grandmother who lived with the family for some time. The family survived as the 'Hired Hands' on several dirt farms until the advent of World War Two changed the very essence of their way of life.
Excerpt
It was past midnight. We were all awakened by screams from somewhere out back of the house. Daddy was the first out the back door, closely followed by most of the family. There was a full moon with a cloudless sky. There was Grandma, standing in front of the outhouse screaming her head off.
“It’s a baby Iva, it’s a little baby!” she repeated.
“What in the world are you talking about Momma? Where? What baby?” Momma asked Grandma as she held her close trying to calm her fears.
“In the toilet hole! A little baby!” Grandma repeated, a little quieter this time.
Dad rushed into the toilet. It was difficult to see down there, but the moon was shining through the open hole, high up on the back wall. Cut there for ventilation, the moonbeam was shining directly into one of the two holes. As we all waited anxiously around the small outhouse, Daddy got a short limb from a nearby tree and started fishing amongst the muck. Finally succeeding, he lifted the ‘baby’, dripping with excrement, out into the brighter light for us all to see. Grandma was almost passing out, Momma trying desperately to hold her large body upright.
“It’s only a rubber doll Grandma,” Daddy explained, holding the toy up for all to see.
Well, after all the excitement died down, and Daddy was cleaning himself up, no one seemed to be sleepy. We stayed up for another half hour considering who could have thrown Pearletta’s rubber dolly down the toilet. Naturally, we all denied doing the deed. I figured Lorene probably did it out of spite. Pearletta had been rather selfish about sharing the doll with her. Pearletta most likely thought I did it since I was forever teasing her about her ugly little rubber doll. Poor Lorene; I can’t imagine who she blamed. It was several days before the subject of who did it was finally abandoned. None of us ever admitted to being the guilty person!
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Reviews for "Dirt Floor"
Reviewed by Renee Bagley
8/22/2003
Sounds like a great book Henry. I hope to read it all soon since your synopsis has tempted me!
Reviewed by Mary Erickson
8/21/2003
A great trip down memories lane for those of us who shared similar experiences during those difficult days. Still there was a lot of love and sharing and laughs, which Henry recounts so well. Great book.
Reviewed by Lisa Young
8/4/2003
Dirt Floor recounts the author's boyhood as he started his life during the Great Depression, suffered through badboy teenage angst, and ended up in the armed forces. Henry Custer's style is entertaining and often poignant as he recalls his father's life-savings purchase of a car that ran only once (ouch) and the awful death of a schoolmate (Billy Rabbit). A wonderful story of his family's struggle to survive during a difficult time in American history.
Henry, I was born in '41, so barely missed those early days of your story but was always fascinated by my parents and grandparents' stories about this time in our history. Dirt Floor should be required reading for high school students to give them a better understanding of real life in those days, and will also be very interesting to everyone.
Wishing you every success,
Marcyle Taliaferro
Reviewed by Sheila MacDonald
11/13/2002
You had my attention Henry, thumbs up!
Reviewed by beatrice jones
10/21/2002
Sounds pretty interesting... Makes you feel like your watching a movie or actually there.
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