Anita Ballard-Jones is the author of The Rehoboth Road and the new sequel The Dancing Willow Tree.
The Dancing Willow Tree by Anita Ballard-Jones (Author)
Book Description
In 1950, young Elizabeth Turner was raped by Reverend Oliver, the assistant pastor of her father's church. After a hidden pregnancy she gave birth to her son, Johnny. Reverend Turner, Elizabeth's father refused to respond to her story of rape and disowned her and her son. He forced Elizabeth and his wife, Loretha to hide the identity of the baby's father and live the next thirty six years with lies and secrets.
In 1986, Reverend Oliver was forced to confess to his family as well as the Turner family, but before he could leave Rehoboth he became seriously ill. The ripple effect of his confession touches everyone causing them to have an array of physical and emotional reactions. As Elizabeth continued to move on with her life, she didn't know the secret her husband, Nat harbored was the cause of his suffering and enormous pain.
Thea, Reverend Oliver's wife, could not escape the disgrace and shame she was feeling. She watched painfully as her son, Malcolm tried to forge a relationship with his brother, Johnny. And she never knew Malcolm was also struggling to come to terms with his sexuality. Thea's most plaguing dilemma had to do with her relationship with her husband. Her only consolation was an old weeping willow tree in her front yard where the graceful branches would dance on the mild summer breezes. Thea called it her dancing willow tree and she would sit under it daily to pray and receive guidance from the Lord. She knew if her husband was to be saved, she had to give him a life threatening ultimatum.
Product Details
Paperback: 212 pages
Publisher: Black Deer Books (October 26, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0972945520
ISBN-13: 978-0972945523
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Rehoboth Road by Anita Ballard-Jones (Author
Product Details
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Genesis Press (July 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1585711969
ISBN-13: 978-1585711963
Review By The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com)
This review is from: Rehoboth Road (Paperback)
Children are a precious gift from God and they should be nurtured and protected. Imagine how you'd feel if you failed to protect your gift from heaven. In REHOBOTH ROAD, we meet the Turners, the Olivers and MaDear. These unforgettable characters tell a story of lost innocence, familial love, Christianity and that old time caring of a community. This story begins in the 1950's on Rehoboth Road in a rural community just outside Macon, Georgia. And for the next thirty-six years or so, we follow the growth of two families as they deal individually with a secret that works like a cancer as it touches each one of them.
Anita Ballard-Jones uses her excellent storytelling abilities to capture the disposition of the African American culture in rural communities during the 50's and 60's. She told a very inspirational and heartrending story. I could not put this one down, as I soaked up the essence of the characters and lived through the pain inflicted because of one man's sin. There were times I cried because of that pain and other times I rejoiced because of the healing that occurred. REHOBOTH ROAD is a stimulating read and I highly recommend it.
Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
How can innocence be stolen?, August 4, 2007
By Charlie Lomax, Turning Pages Book Club (San Francisco Bay Area)
According to the members of "Turning Pages Book Club," when a innocent teenaged, God fearing young lady is raped, disowned and has to stay and endure the hurt that small towns, small minds and most of all false pride can put her through, this is stolen innocence. Elizabeth, who is the victim in this story which takes place during the 1950's in a place called "Rehoboth Road", in Georgia;is a very strong-willed, determined individual who has great courage through out a situation that was thrust upon her.
Considering the era this book was written you have some very,strong female characters,Elizabeth's mother (Loretta) and Mrs.Collins, who took Elizabeth in after her father, Reverend Turner kicks her out for shaming the family; because after all he is a Minister and he has an image to up hold, even though it is surrounded in his being a coward.
A few questions for the book club members were- why did it take 36 years for the Reverend to finally believe his daughter and for the family to finally confront the rapist, Reverend Oliver? And why didn't Reverend Oliver take his family and leave, after he committed this horrendous crime?
Considering the era that this book was written, the actions of the community makes sense, but the concept of "it takes a village to raise a family" did not seem to prevail here, except for Ma Dear (Mrs. Collins) who
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