• U.S.

Books: Nebraska Plain

3 minute read
TIME

THE HOME PLACE—Dorothy Thomas — Knopf ($2.50).

The Youngs were plain Nebraska farmers. Old Grandpa Young had raised three healthy sons and always managed to keep a roof over his head and remember to say grace even at breakfast. Grandma Young had always regretted that she did not have a daughter to sew for. Even Great-Grandma Young remained on the scene, a little feebleminded, imagining visitors were long-dead members of her family.

Tom, the oldest boy, had married a hard working farm girl and was doing well with a place down the road. Ralph had two years of agricultural school, married a schoolteacher and was doing well with a big place out West. Harvey, the youngest, was doing well at a job in the city.

Then Tom lost his place, Ralph his, and the Young boys, with their wives and children, moved in with the old folks and tried to adjust themselves to the contention that went on all the time.

At first Phyllis, Ralph’s wife, had the hardest time. Edna, Tom’s wife, hated her and always made her feel that she was in the way in the kitchen. Her two big overgrown sons picked on Phyllis’ little girl. Her husband felt bitter at Ralph for losing his place, and in an argument about whose place was lost first, the brothers got into a fight. Old Grandpa Young kept saying ineffectually that he was not going to have this contention in his house, never did have it and never would, at last wrote to Harvey for help. Just then Harvey appeared, out of work, with a blonde wife who sat around in her pajamas all day, fixing her nails and smoking cigarets.

The Home Place covers a hard year in the lives of the Youngs and their women folk, involving the birth of another grandchild, a separation, an accident, a marked improvement in the spiritual development of almost all members of the crowded household as well as a general bettering of their economic situations. Even Harvey’s city wife indirectly contributes to the common welfare, since she reminds gruff Tom of an old sweetheart, thus softens him a little without actually leading him into sin. Sometimes Author Thomas, despite her zest for writing about the homely details of farm life, comes perilously close to setting her characters in situations where a showdown would be inevitable—e.g., when Tom’s wife recognizes the reasons for Tom’s increasing amiability. But by the time Edna has fractured her back and Phyllis and Ralph have a house of their own, all tension is removed and the story comes to a classic sentimental conclusion.

More Must-Reads from TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com