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Graydon E. Horath
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Price: $12.99Paperback | 358 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9771846-2-0Are you interested to know what the deep South was like to the lowly Negro, even up to the time of the late 1930's? Although the characters are fiction the customs of the White supremacy is not. Radimire "Shiner" Jones was only thirteen when the old Negro Cleet was lynched for a crime he didn't commit. In the hot, dusty cotton fields he was aided by the older colored girl, Aleta Slake. Later, Shiner discovers who was the actual killer of the white urchin. For this he was railroaded into the Army at age fifteen. Coming home five years later to find himself instead of an accepted War Hero - merely a lowly Negro. Soon dire events happen forcing him to flee and join his Army buddy in Chicago. In Black Louie's saloon the Mafia coin collector is killed involving Shiner and his five friends. Shiner devises a plan hoping to appease the Mafia; this backfires forcing him to seek sanctuary in a tavern where unbeknown to him Aleta is the Barmaid. She hides him and later teaches him to become a politician and elected Alderman constantly under the vengeful eye of the Mafia. Each day he falls deeper in love with Aleta and proposes. She refuses because of their precarious position; especially after the Mafia's attempt to assassinate Shiner. Due to Shiner's fine work, the old Colored Politician takes interest and barters his wayward daughter's hand in an attempt to make Shiner mayor. After a stormy courtship, a fateful wedding night Shiner is elected first Black Mayor of Chicago! Even so; life is short, troubles far from over and his love for Aleta never dies.
Graydon E. Horath was raised on a midwest farm, growing up loving horses and cattle. Foregoing a formal education, at age eighteen rode the rails to work the broad wheat fields of the West. Joined the Army in early '42 to serve four years and come home to marry his beautiful wife, Mary. Entered the oil fields where his nomad life took him as far south as the Argentina. Always writing, in was in the late '60's he conceived the idea of a Colored Mayor for Chicago. Ten years before Washington was really elected. Upon retirement in '81, he continued with his writing. First published to kind reviews was; "Some Where There's a Rainbow" followed by "Sheriff of La Bayou." This latest work entitled; "His Row to Hoe" follows this Colored Lad on an exciting trip from boyhood to Mayor of that big city.
