Worthy's Town [Hardcover]

Sharon Rolens (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000

Beneath the quiet surface of life in Old Kane, Illinois, love, cruelty, murder and friendship drive the destinies of Worthy and Willa Giberson and their boy Cappy in this novel spanning 1925 to 1950.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Old Kane, Ill., is ground zero for this folksy, smalltown narrative, a first novel rife with resilient do-gooders, town idiots and villains, sexual initiations, dubious parentage and two possible cases of murder. In 1925, Worthy and Willa Giberson, a farm couple in middle age, rear their grandson Cappy after his single 14-year-old mother, Chastity, dies in childbirth. Evil Drayton Hunt presents himself almost immediately as Cappy's father, vowing to "claim what's mine." He's rebuffed by grouchy-but-honorable Worthy and saintly Willa, but over the next several years swoops in periodically to menace Worthy and the town's other denizens as they gather around the stove at Pick's General Store to drink coffee and gossip. Inquisitive and irrepressible Cappy turns a childhood propensity for good-natured lying into a career as a fledgling journalist at the county newspaper. His slow-witted uncle Tick leaves home with the traveling Rev. Art Gimmy and becomes a performing "healer"Ddeveloping his own, lucrative brand of storytelling. By 1944, when Cappy's boyhood friend Beany Ozbun returns on leave from the army, Old Kane simmers with sinister undercurrents, racing toward tragedy, and Cappy plays amateur sleuth to uncover the biggest story of his life. With the backdrop of the Depression and WWII to provide a sure sense of time and place, the tale overflows with characters exhibiting country-folk quirkiness. Often awkward but humorous and engaging dialogue punctuate this nostalgic story of rural America, in which the complexity of smalltown human relationships brings depth to the murder-mystery plot that ensues. (Oct.) FYI: Worthy's Town was selected by Barnes & Noble for its Discover Great New Writers Program.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Rolens dips heavily into nostalgia for her first novel, a charming coming-of-age tale set in southwestern Illinois in the years before and during World War II. Worthy and Willa Giberson adopt their illegitimate grandson, Cappy, following the death of their daughter in 1925. A simple farmer, Worthy plans for Cappy to join him in working the farm as soon as he is old enough. When Cappy wins an eighth-grade essay contest, however, he is able to parlay his vivid imagination and love of a good story into a job at the local newspaper office, ultimately leading to his finishing high school and his first real job. But questions surrounding Cappy's parentage, Willa's death, and the murder of Cappy's best friend make Worthy's Town far more than a simple teenage success story. It becomes a beautiful view of the Great Depression and America at home during World War II; a finely honed character study of a town and its inhabitants, good and bad; and a classic tale of orchestrated retribution. The over-50 generation may especially enjoy this reminiscence of a simpler time, deftly combined with an engaging story of human foibles that never stoops to sentimentality. Recommended for all public libraries.DThomas L. Kilpatrick, Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale Lib.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Bridgeworks; 1st edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882593359
• ISBN-13: 978-1882593354
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,523,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Worthy's Town", October 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Worthy's Town (Hardcover)

This is an interesting book about small town life starting in the early 1900's and ending after the second World War. The hero of the book is not so much Worthy as it is his grandson (who think he is his "pa")Cappy. Cappy grows up to use his god given talents and also to avenge the murder of his best friend...even though the murder is brought to justice in a very unconventional way. Good reading.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Going Home Almost, October 29, 2000

By 

Sharon Loftus (Granite City,, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Worthy's Town (Hardcover)

I read a review of this book in the St. Louis Post Dispatch and couldn't wait to order it. My G-Grandparents lived in Greene Co., Il. Their Name was Cotter and there is a Cotter named in the book. (Loved it) I never lived in Kane or Carrolton, but have visited and driven through there many times on the way to my Grandpa's in Scott County. The book was a refreshing visit to a familiar place.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Willa and Worthy raise their grandson, October 26, 2001

By 

chasmagnolia (The Lowcountry...SC...USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Worthy's Town (Hardcover)

A story of family love and honesty. A story of the town's men standing around a potbelly wood heater at the general store. A story of friends made and friends kept. A story of town gossip. A story of a self-centered prankster and things going to far. A story of "you get what you deserve in the end". There is a lot of love between Worthy and his wife, Willa, in a chauvenistic kind of way....And I mean that in a sweet way. They raise their grandson, Cappy, not really knowing who Cappy's father is because W & W's unmarried, 14 year old daughter died shortly after childbirth from complications. Cappy grows up to be quite a fellow. He's ambitious, likeable, confident, and has tenacity. I strongly suggest reading this novel, it's one of the best I've read this year.
The writing in this book is easy to follow and quick to read but real hard to put down. I am going to look up other books by this author and pray that she writes again real soon. She's done a greaT Job!
I'm not sure why there are some reviewers who feel ashamed or offended, but this is a terrific book. This is not non-fiction and I've never been to Illinios, but I liked this little town very much and the characters in the story seem so real. I'm glad I read this book eventhough I almost didn't. I'm so sure that almost anyone would enjoy this novel.