The final book in Jane Roberts Woods' trilogy finds Lucy Richards Arnold in rural West Texas, during the depression. The harsh and arid landscape of the land is barely relieved by the people who populate the area,and the nearest town, Blue Bonnet. Lucy and her husband Josh are working for the area school, she is once again teaching and he is the principal....and neither are made welcomed by the populace. They do make friends within the community and are able to undersatnd the dermands on those around them,but nothing is heard from characters at home, except for a brief appearance by Jeremiah. Their son, John Patrick is a continuous light in their lives, but hard times and very little hope for relief have made the entire area weary and unwelcoming. Once again Woods has been able to capture a time and place in Teaxs history and populate it with believable and complex characters.The realities of small town life, especially in hard times,ring true. The whole book is suffused with the feel of the times, and is a wonderful look at characters we have come to care for.

The best book of the series, this story follows The Train to Estelline and A Place called Sweet Shrub. Set during the Great Depression in the bleak, gnarled landscape and drought of West Texas, the characters Josh & Lucy, now with a 4 year old son, settle into their jobs in a troubled school. The deprivation and desperation of the depression sweep over the reader on almost every page, but the high spirited, high minded scholars meet each challenge as it tumbles into the schoolyard. The characters are sketched with a light and usually loving hand, and the situations are not sugar-coated but realistic and often harsh. The "West Texas-isms" are accurate and amusing. The book moves quickly to a ending that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. And completely true to this reader's experience.

The book had great insight of who Elijah Wood is. Though it didn't get that personal it still was very great!!

If you are into folk art, African-American cultural contributions, religious themed art, a woodcarver or just someone who appreciates intricate woodcarving details than you will enjoy and should seek this book. Elijah Pierce's sculptures are broken down into various categories including free standing carvings, religious reliefs, secular reliefs and autobigraphical works. This catologue is from an exhibition from the Columbus Museum of Art that displayed Elijah Pierce's works in 1973, eleven years before his death. They have the largest collection of his works , it features over 200 pieces. His style was unbelieveable, his panels filled with incredible detail, full of emotion, religious fervor and cultural pride. In the book you will see his tribute in wood to sports hero's too like football player Archie Griffin or boxing legend Joe Lewis. Many of the works are patriotic themed , including tributes to Abraham Lincoln. Martin Luther King, The Kennedy's and Paul Revere. One of the things that sets Elijah Pierce apart, besides his technical carving skills, was his colorful painting of the wooden figures or reliefs. He used many different colors including bright solid tones that brought more life into the wood. There are several essays included and the mystical qualities of wood are discusses by him and several other woodcarvers. His life is discussed in the essays, including his hardships as well as his successes, with the end result being an intimate portrait of the artist . Being a man of tremendous religious conviction, coming from a strong religious family, a preacher himself, his carvings became his pulpit. The religious fervor in his carvings are amazing and the biblical stories in wood come to life and jump out at you. His "Book of Wood" is an astounding series of panels bound together and was used on occasion for his sermons but eventually housed in his barbershop where it was the centerpiece of Pierce's art display's. You must find this book to see all the exquisite works of art this master woodcarver created, it will astound you in it's simplicity , varied subject matter and asthetic qualities. Elijah Pierce has left a legacy that should not be missed as it reflects the everyman qualities of the American spirit. Highly recommended for art enthusiasts, folk art collectors, teachers and especially woodcarvers, as it is very inspirational.

I did enjoy the book. I read it for a book club, but might have read it on my own. My biggest problem was the way I met Grace. In the first chapter she has already slept with a man who isn't her husband and on the night of his wife's death. It just put a bad taste in my mouth. I never grew to like Grace Gillian, but I did grow to tolerate her, because I enjoyed the story.

Grace the novel, centers on Grace Gillian, an English teacher in her 30's, living in a small, Texas town, Cold Springs. Grace's husband has recently left her, headed for NYC, and Grace has been left to deal with life on her own. We also meet several other members of the Cold Springs community, Bobby a highschool senior, who deeply desires to be a part of the war effort, the apple of his eye, Dixie, Bobby's family, and a few other side characters. Wood has a real gift for writing, her descriptions are excellent-you can picture each scene perfectly in your mind. Through Grace, we learn how the effects of the war turn life upside down in this small, close-knit community. As you follow the character's lives, you will see what their motivations and deepest desires are, how they all want to be accepted and understood in different forms and different ways. The story was entertaining, but not something that left much of an impression on me. To the author's credit, the writing was excellent (5 stars).

I thought Grace was a hard book to get into until about chapter four. Then I really enjoyed until the end. I don't understand or like how she was obsessed with one guy through the whole book and then goes off and marries another man in the end. There just wasn't enough conclusion in this book. Otherwise the writing is well done. You really get to know each character because Jane wrote in third person. Jane has a unique writing style that is hard to get used to at first, but after a while is enjoyable.

Ms. Woods has again captured the essence of small town life. While this takes place in Texas, it could be any small town throughout the southern US. The interaction of Mary Lou, her teacher Anne and the members of the singles continuing education class will leave you with the feeling that friends can help you overcome almost anything. And, when you learn where the title of the book comes from, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Everything from life behind the counter at Dairy Queen to a gypsy gathering are in this book. If you like Jan Karon's Mitford books or Billie Letts' Where the Heart Is, I think you'll also enjoy spending time with Roseborough.

The book was highly recommended to my twelve year old daughter. Because Annie dislike fantasy and science fiction, I purchased the trilogy based on a brief overview. Annie likes adventure, problem solving, and "chick flicks" She adored Legally Blonde and I hoped that

Not the best in the Trilogy....

After reading the reviews on all three books in this series I bought all three. The Train to Estelline is a bit chopped up and doesn't really flow very well. Not my favorite type of read. They story is an enjoyable one with many things to learn about life on a ranch in West Texas. A very hard life, and strong people. I can only tell you to read this but don't stop here.... the best is yet to come. A Place Called Sweet Shrub is the best in the series.

The Train to Estelline

TRAIN TO ESTELLINE is the second Jane Roberts Wood book I read, after A PLACE CALLED SWEET SHRUB. Both are delightful. The letter/diary style of TRAIN chronicles the life of a young woman leaving home to begin her teaching career at the turn of the century. The reader feels like something of a voyeur following events while being privy to the private thoughts of the young woman. It is a charming book which leaves one a little envious of the innocence, the naiveté of Americans living in that period.