Lena, a ten-year old girl, has to leave a drought stricken West Texas ranch for the orange groves of South Texas. There she sees and learns about "wet backs" and their continuing role in the U.S. When she moves back to the ranch, she meets the "dot.com" millionaire who has bought it. Lena finds them to have much in common--composing the patchwork of her life, and of America.
Travis, a twelve year old, views his life's challenges as climbing a ladder--just as his grandfather told him. He is helped in his ascent by his grandfather, folks with whom he lives, and his coach. He finds his first "love" and is rejected; he finds his strength, true friends, but almost slips off his ladder. He meets a man with a transplanted heart who helps him appreciate the goodness of life.
In the twenty-first century, almost no one can remember the days when there was no electricity, no running water, no television, no radio, no health insurance, no cash, no check in the mail. There was hard work, tepid creek water, sweat, mosquitoes and malaria. Andrew and Katie, along with their three children Elsie, Inez and baby Andy felt no self pity, but cherished the many things in life that made them glad. The most wonderful thing that cheered them was the new log house that Andrew was building from logs he had cut and hewed by hand. It was to have three glass windows! However, before the windows were installed, hard times had to be faced. Grandpa died of typhoid; little Andy nearly succumbed to pneumonia, and malaria raged among them. Hard times never last. And when the windows were installed, the lamplight streaming through them dispelled all darkness in its surroundings.
The ""little dry"" comes at the mid-point of the tropical rainy season, lasts but a short time, and is soon forgotten when the rains return. It cannot compare with the long dry season, when all the equatorial belt lies parched and withered. Secessionist Biafra waged a ""little war,"" and who now remembers the Ibo and this time of his ""little dry"" Janice, an American artist married to Obi Ezendu, an Ibo, returns with him to Nigeria after his eight years of study in the United States. At this time the first military coup, led by Ibo officers, is in effect. They are assigned a lovely house in Enugu, the eastern regional seat where Obi is employed in the Ministry of Education. Janice, a simple, idealistic girl gets her first jolt when she learns of Obi's native wife, Ezinma, chosen for him by his family one week before his departure for the States. Azikwe, a bright, lovable child of seven is the fruit of this marriage. After the counter-coup when the Ibos are no longer in power, they secede and set up the State of Biafra. All other Americans are evacuated, but Janice elects to stay with the Ibos.
The ""little dry"" comes at the mid-point of the tropical rainy season, lasts but a short time, and is soon forgotten when the rains return. It cannot compare with the long dry season, when all the equatorial belt lies parched and withered. Secessionist Biafra waged a ""little war,"" and who now remembers the Ibo and this time of his ""little dry"" Janice, an American artist married to Obi Ezendu, an Ibo, returns with him to Nigeria after his eight years of study in the United States. At this time the first military coup, led by Ibo officers, is in effect. They are assigned a lovely house in Enugu, the eastern regional seat where Obi is employed in the Ministry of Education. Janice, a simple, idealistic girl gets her first jolt when she learns of Obi's native wife, Ezinma, chosen for him by his family one week before his departure for the States. Azikwe, a bright, lovable child of seven is the fruit of this marriage. After the counter-coup when the Ibos are no longer in power, they secede and set up the State of Biafra. All other Americans are evacuated, but Janice elects to stay with the Ibos.
HE PEELED ONES HAVE COME" describes events during a three-year tour of an American family: Jim Ransome, a dentist; his wife Era; and their three children. They arrive in Nigeria in the middle of the nightaapprehensive, naive. Three years later they depart in mid-morning carrying a variety of giftsasix eggs, a coconut, and indelible experiences in this country, which is a mixture of pagan, Moslem and Christian mores. African characters, village life, vibrant church services, and Ramadan celebration are all described as seen and felt.
Travis, a twelve year old, views his life's challenges as climbing a ladder--just as his grandfather told him. He is helped in his ascent by his grandfather, folks with whom he lives, and his coach. He finds his first "love" and is rejected; he finds his strength, true friends, but almost slips off his ladder. He meets a man with a transplanted heart who helps him appreciate the goodness of life.
Lena, a ten-year old girl, has to leave a drought stricken West Texas ranch for the orange groves of South Texas. There she sees and learns about "wet backs" and their continuing role in the U.S. When she moves back to the ranch, she meets the "dot.com" millionaire who has bought it. Lena finds them to have much in common--composing the patchwork of her life, and of America.
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