BiographyLarge Print EditionIt was about five years ago that Clyde Latham, a retired high school football coach in Spur, Texas, lost his wife of fifty years. Gussie Lancaster was a widow, and a lifetime earlier, she had been Clydes friend. How these two octogenarians came together and fell madly and deeply in love is a story in itself. But the story that Aaron Latham tells is much more than that. Lathams inspirational and unforgettable story is about how love endures, changes us, and offers us hope in a world of uncertainty.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
In this celebration of life, New York writer Latham, a novelist and author of the screenplay Urban Cowboy, relates the charming story of how his father, Clyde, found love at age 84. When his mother died after more than 50 years of marriage, Latham worried about his father's being lonely. Alone, but not lonely, Clyde renewed a childhood friendship with recently widowed Gussie (age 81) whom he had not seen in decades. The romance is set in the town of Spur, located in "a godforsaken corner of west Texas," where "some days more tumbleweeds than pickup trucks come rolling through town." However, neither the town of Spur nor his father is willing to give up on life. Even with the son's concern for his father and the problems that arose when Clyde became ill, it is, as Clyde says, "a pretty old world." A beautifully written memoir; highly recommended for all readers.?Linda L. McEwan, Elgin Community Coll., Ill.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Clyde Latham was 6 foot 4, 200 pounds, and 80 years old. He was also a widower, and his son Aaron feared that loneliness would get the better of his charming dad. He need not have worried, because the sprightly Texan would soon reunite with an "uptown" widow from Sacramento whom he hadn't seen in 67 years. The result of that reunion is a tender, compelling story of lovers with 80 years' experience. Aaron, screenwriter of Urban Cowboy, cleverly casts out lines from John Donne's "The Bait" to catch the growing romance between two people who never intended to remarry. In fact, Gussie Lee Willis Lancaster planned to stay only four days in Spur, Texas, but soon found herself holding hands with Clyde as they sat in matching lounge chairs and reminisced about this "pretty old world." Their love led to engagement and elopement and a son's lessons about his own marriage, the need to accept a parent's remarriage, and the marvelous possibilities of "new love in old bottles." A captivating memoir. Patricia Hassler
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most heart-warming stories I have ever read!,
By fsouthal@longwood.lwc.edu (Farmville, Virginia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Ballad of Gussie & Clyde: A True Story of True Love (Hardcover)
I just loved this book! It was so encouraging to read a story written by a man who cares so deeply about his father. Not to say that men don't usually care about their elderly parents, but in today's world, so often we see "old folks" cast aside and forgotten by their children. Also, anyone who has lost a parent could relate to this story because it is very hard to have to watch one parent "go on alone." Clyde and Gussie are both such believable characters and they make this "pretty old world" look pretty darn good at eighty years old! This is truly a beautiful love story! Thanks Mr. Latham!
4.0 out of 5 stars
A little story of hope,
By J. R. Smithers (Aurora, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Ballad of Gussie & Clyde: A True Story of True Love (Hardcover)
Well known author writing about a personal story, that of his widowed father finding a lost love.
This is a book about hope. Hope for something to live for. Hope for things lost to be restored. Hope for small odds. It is a gentle story of life's renewal, even for a couple who are great-grandparents. It is also about romance and the call of the heart. I am a family history buff and after reading the book the first time through, went back and pulled out the genealogy details, which amplified and enlarged the story itself. Who cares? you say, well, if you are interested in the book's characters enough to go back through the book to better understand them then you know the book has been worth your time. A gentle read and heart warming, and good character studies. Enjoy!
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a pleasure!,
By
This review is from: The Ballad of Gussie & Clyde: A True Story of True Love (Hardcover)
A sweet,hope-filled story that was a pleasure to read. The story moves along nicely, no bog downs, and was a quick read.
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