“A book that is very difficult to put down”

John W. Howell recommended The Immigrant and the Outlaw on BookBub

and rated it Five Stars

Joy Neal Kidney’s Immigrant and the Outlaw is a book that is very difficult to put down. It is a collection of family stories compiled from various newspaper and magazine articles the author wrote in the 1990s.
The recurring themes of the stories are the strong bond of family in difficult times and the patriotic fervor of Americans during World War II. Each story provides a tableau of the time and gives the reader a sense of how things were in those historic times. Most of us have not had the opportunity to live through the depression and the war. Although I was born in 1941, I have no memory of the day-to-day struggles facing my family. Reading Neal’s book brought those circumstances into focus and an appreciation of how brave folks were then.
Other stories in the book bring smiles and tears. They stand out for their humanity and, in some cases, pure humor. When I was finished reading the book, I had a greater understanding of the people of Iowa and how they helped shape the history of this great country. Ms. Neal is very proud of her background, and for good reason.
This collection of stories is a testament to the goodness we should all seek in everyday life. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about how folks lived and to be touched by many beautiful stories.
—–

John W. Howell

John Howell began his writing as a full-time occupation after an extensive business career. His specialty is thriller fiction novels, but John also writes poetry and short stories. His first book, My GRL, introduces the exciting adventures of the book’s central character, John J. Cannon. The second Cannon novel, His Revenge, continues the tension. The final book in the trilogy, Our Justice, launched in September 2016, concludes the thriller series.

John’s fourth book, Circumstances of Childhood, launched in October of 2017, tells a different thriller story of riches to rags, football, Wall Street, brotherly love, redemption, and inspiration with a touch of paranormal to keep you riveted. The fifth book is a collaboration with the ​award-winning author Gwen Plano titled The Contract. Heavenly bodies become concerned about the stability of the Earth and send two of their own to risk eternal salvation in order to save the planet. The Contract achieved number-one status in its genre.

John’s sixth book, Eternal Road – The Final Stop, launched in September 2020. In search of their eternal home, Sam and James discover a threat to human existence. They also encounter the prince of darkness. The question is, can they save humankind and their eternal souls? The Last Drive is a sequel to The Eternal Road. Once again, James and Sam must confront Lucifer in order to save not only their souls but those of two others. Lucifer tests them to the limit, and the challenge they face may be more than they can handle. John’s latest is Detour on the Eternal Road where Sam an James are called into action to thwart Lucifer’s designs on making Sam his Queen, as well as, save the world from a devastating war that would mean the end to humankind. All books are available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.

John lives in Lakeway, Texas, with his wife and their spoiled rescue pets.

John keeps his followers entertained on LinkedIn where those spoiled rescue pets, Twiggy and Tempeste, take over on Thursdays. He offers a variety on other days, with Good News stories on Fridays, Views of the Neighborhood on Sundays, etc. You just might like to join us!

8 comments

  1. Thank you, Joy, for featuring my review on your post today. I loved your book, and it gave me a true sense of how folks dealt with the adversities of the thirties and forties. I have a collection of letters my mom wrote to my dad while he served in the Navy during World War II. They give a good account of one person’s view of the home front. Your book rounded out that view with the views of others. Your book gave me additional understanding of how the country was dealing with the war and, in that way, was fascinating. Thanks again for the shout-out here.

  2. Stellar review by John! I especially agree with this insightful statement: “This collection of stories is a testament to the goodness we should all seek in everyday life.” 🙂

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