I finished the first story last week and was enamored by the real nature of these characters in a simple but very real story of a black man going day-by-day, without a full direction to his life. In the first, he starts with a pregnant girlfriend, whom he grows to have a large family with. Their life is quaint and plain, but we’re left on a cliffhanger where James’s wife falls ill. In the second part of the story, she sadly passes away, leaving James once again to wonder where his life will go. He has his children and is a father raising his five kids on his own. He goes back to his hometown to work and through his mourning, anger, and bitterness does his best to take it all in stride but he’s just a man. His life is quite stagnant but through the love and support of his family, and eventually another woman named Pearlie Ann, he spends his time working on himself and his shortcomings. Although James is very stubborn and can be onery, he means very well and wants to only do right by his family. The story has a lovely message about the importance of family, community, connectedness, and the grace and beauty of God. The book doesn’t have some larger than life, grandiose ending but rather something grounded in reality that is just as satisfying. Life is what you make of it, and the story wraps up very well for James and his family in a what that I believe people will very much enjoy reading about.