Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Call number
F MAR
Publication
Thomas Nelson (2018), 352 pages
Description
"The closer he got, the brighter that red became. It was a rose-a rose that had no earthly business growing there, right in the middle of all that dust." Just as Jeremiah Goodbye is set to meet his fate in the electric chair, he is given a second chance at life. With the flip of a coin, he decides to return to his home town of Nowhere, Oklahoma, to settle the score with his twin brother Josiah. But upon his escape, he enters a world he doesn't recognize-one that has been overtaken by the Dust Bowl. And the gift he once relied on to guide him is as unrecognizable as the path back to Nowhere. On his journey home, he accidentally rescues a young boy, and the pair arrive at their destination where they are greeted by darkened skies and fearful townspeople who have finally begun to let the past few years of hardship bury them under the weight of all that dust. Unlikely heroes, Jeremiah and his new companion, Peter Cotton, try to protect the residents of Nowhere from themselves, but Jeremiah must face his nightmares and free himself from the guilt of his past and the secrets that destroyed his family. Filled with mystery and magic, this exquisite novel from award-winning author James Markert is a story of finding hope in the midst of darkness and discovering the beauty of unexpected kindness.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Mishker
Jeremiah Goodbye is known as the Coin-Flip Killer in Oklahoma's Panhandle in 1935. Just as he was about to be executed by electric chair, a twister developed from a dust storm that knocked down the prison walls. Escaping with only a slight shock, Jeremiah makes his way back home to Nowhere,
An amazing story of the Dust Bowl infused with magic and mystery. The town of Nowhere, Oklahoma grabbed me and was a character itself. Sold to people as Majestic, Oklahoma the town transformed, fought back and reemerged throughout the story. Jeremiah's characters is an enigma, but one that I really liked. Without learning his full story until near the end, I was continuously pulled into the many mysteries that surrounded his strange life. Jeremiah feels guilt for the death of the four men he was accused of killing, but swears he didn't actually kill them, he is able to see the bad and good in people and know their fate in life as well as being able to shield people from some of the bad that comes along. Peter was another favorite of mine, insightful and caring, bringing kindness even though he has not been shown much during his life. Even though the characters and the touches of magic engaged me the most, I did learn a lot about the dust bowl era. I had never heard of the Black Sunday dust storm and the devastation that it brought to an already ravaged area. I imagine that it would have had similar effects on the people attempting to live in the area as it did to the people of Nowhere as the residents became upset, mean and slowly lost their willpower. In Nowhere, several miracles occur after the Black Sunday dust storm that help breathe life back into a dying town. Overall, a unique historical fiction book incorporating magical realism and distinctive characters.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
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Oklahoma by the flip of a coin. The shock did something to Jeremiah, something for the better. Jeremiah no longer has such bad nightmares, nor can he see the darkness in men's souls so clearly as he did before. On his way to Nowhere, Jeremiah inadvertently picks up a boy, Peter, who has limited speech but understands everything happening around him. In Nowhere, barely anyone wants Jeremiah back, especially his twin brother, Josiah who turned him into the police to begin with. Nowhere has been ravaged by the dust bowl, turning the once prosperous town to dust. The people of Nowhere have been beaten down by the constant dust storms when a particularly bad duster rolls through, the town finds that Jeremiah and Peter may be just what they need in order to survive.An amazing story of the Dust Bowl infused with magic and mystery. The town of Nowhere, Oklahoma grabbed me and was a character itself. Sold to people as Majestic, Oklahoma the town transformed, fought back and reemerged throughout the story. Jeremiah's characters is an enigma, but one that I really liked. Without learning his full story until near the end, I was continuously pulled into the many mysteries that surrounded his strange life. Jeremiah feels guilt for the death of the four men he was accused of killing, but swears he didn't actually kill them, he is able to see the bad and good in people and know their fate in life as well as being able to shield people from some of the bad that comes along. Peter was another favorite of mine, insightful and caring, bringing kindness even though he has not been shown much during his life. Even though the characters and the touches of magic engaged me the most, I did learn a lot about the dust bowl era. I had never heard of the Black Sunday dust storm and the devastation that it brought to an already ravaged area. I imagine that it would have had similar effects on the people attempting to live in the area as it did to the people of Nowhere as the residents became upset, mean and slowly lost their willpower. In Nowhere, several miracles occur after the Black Sunday dust storm that help breathe life back into a dying town. Overall, a unique historical fiction book incorporating magical realism and distinctive characters.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member BooksCooksLooks
I have written before about books that are smarter than me. This is one of them. I just know that I missed things so I am definitely keeping this one to read again – it’s that kind of book. The kind of book that develops with each successive read. Your understanding of the characters and events
What Blooms From Dust is not your typical historical fiction novel. It does share the horror and despair of the Dust Bowl through the story of the people in Nowhere. Oklahoma. The founders of the town had moved there with promises of a majestic city already in place but found out that when they arrived there was … nothing. They decided to stick it out and the decisions they and others on the plains caused the ecological damage that when there was prolonged drought led to the Dust Bowl.
One family is the center of the tale, the Goodbyes. I am sure that name is purposeful and significant but I haven’t figured that out yet. Twin brothers Jeremiah and Josiah both love the same girl. Jeremiah has been in prison lately and had been set to be electrocuted but a tornado rolled through just as they pulled the switch and he was able to escape. He is heading back home to settle some scores.
Along the way he finds a woman selling one of her children as she claims she can’t afford to feed them. The boy is a little addled and repeats everything that is said to him. He also carries around a typewriter that he is constantly typing on.
There is so much to this tale that simply cannot be explained. I was hooked from the very first paragraph and I could not put it down. I seriously want to read it again but my reading schedule doesn’t allow the time for it right now. It is not a straightforward book as it does wander into the realm of magical realism and with books written like that you either go with the flow or you fight them the whole way. I am a very literal reader as I have mentioned before but there are authors that can break through that and Mr. Markert is one of them. I didn’t care that actions and events didn’t necessarily make sense in a real context. They made sense in this world. If you let them. And do, please do. This book was a magical exploration of love, redemption and perseverance.
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will grow.What Blooms From Dust is not your typical historical fiction novel. It does share the horror and despair of the Dust Bowl through the story of the people in Nowhere. Oklahoma. The founders of the town had moved there with promises of a majestic city already in place but found out that when they arrived there was … nothing. They decided to stick it out and the decisions they and others on the plains caused the ecological damage that when there was prolonged drought led to the Dust Bowl.
One family is the center of the tale, the Goodbyes. I am sure that name is purposeful and significant but I haven’t figured that out yet. Twin brothers Jeremiah and Josiah both love the same girl. Jeremiah has been in prison lately and had been set to be electrocuted but a tornado rolled through just as they pulled the switch and he was able to escape. He is heading back home to settle some scores.
Along the way he finds a woman selling one of her children as she claims she can’t afford to feed them. The boy is a little addled and repeats everything that is said to him. He also carries around a typewriter that he is constantly typing on.
There is so much to this tale that simply cannot be explained. I was hooked from the very first paragraph and I could not put it down. I seriously want to read it again but my reading schedule doesn’t allow the time for it right now. It is not a straightforward book as it does wander into the realm of magical realism and with books written like that you either go with the flow or you fight them the whole way. I am a very literal reader as I have mentioned before but there are authors that can break through that and Mr. Markert is one of them. I didn’t care that actions and events didn’t necessarily make sense in a real context. They made sense in this world. If you let them. And do, please do. This book was a magical exploration of love, redemption and perseverance.
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LibraryThing member tamidale
The Grapes of Wrath is the only book I’ve ever read about the dust bowl, so when I picked up this newest book by James Markert, I was prepared to read about a difficult time in history. I was pleasantly surprised to find that in spite of that, the story was uplifting and delivered a powerful
Josiah and Jeremiah Goodbye are twin brothers who were born and raised in Nowhere, Oklahoma. As they reached adulthood, the brothers had grown apart. Jeremiah was in prison for murder and by a quirk of fate, escaped the electric chair and went back home to Nowhere.
The story follows what happens when Jeremiah returns home and shows how the townspeople handle the struggles of the dust storms and learn to mend their broken relationships.
The message in the story is easy to uncover. Kindness. Kindness breeds kindness. One simple word or deed that all too often people forget when life gets too stressful.
Readers who are looking for an enjoyable story, a mix of historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will enjoy this book. It’s a clean read, with no profanity, sex or violence although some is referenced vaguely.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson-FICTION for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
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message that we all need to be reminded of from time to time.Josiah and Jeremiah Goodbye are twin brothers who were born and raised in Nowhere, Oklahoma. As they reached adulthood, the brothers had grown apart. Jeremiah was in prison for murder and by a quirk of fate, escaped the electric chair and went back home to Nowhere.
The story follows what happens when Jeremiah returns home and shows how the townspeople handle the struggles of the dust storms and learn to mend their broken relationships.
The message in the story is easy to uncover. Kindness. Kindness breeds kindness. One simple word or deed that all too often people forget when life gets too stressful.
Readers who are looking for an enjoyable story, a mix of historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will enjoy this book. It’s a clean read, with no profanity, sex or violence although some is referenced vaguely.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson-FICTION for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
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LibraryThing member Veronica.Sparrow
What Blooms from Dust is an unlikely combination historical/supernatural mix that the author actually manages to pull off very well. In fact, it was one of my favorite reads of 2018 for a variety of reasons.
Jeremiah Goodbye is set to be executed but is given a "reprieve" by an act of God; a tornado
There are so many elements to this novel that make it stand out for me. One key is the theme of deciding actions based on the flip of a coin, and another is Jeremiah's seemingly supernatural gift.
This story takes place during the dustbowl of the 1930s and is described so well that you can almost feel the dust settling in your lungs and clothes. There is a beautiful balance between historical fact and subtle supernatural people and happenings that mesh very well. To be honest, the book has a bit of the flavor of Stephen King's earlier works to me. In essence, it is a story of strength in the face of adversity and the small miracles that help us to cope and survive.
Jeremiah Goodbye is set to be executed but is given a "reprieve" by an act of God; a tornado
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tears down the prison walls giving Jeremiah the chance to escape and start again. Along the way to settling a score with his twin brother, Jeremiah encounters a young boy and together they set off to Jeremiah's hometown. When they arrive, they find the townspeople cowed and afraid; weighed down by the dust storms that constantly test their strength and resolve. Jeremiah decides to uncover the truth behind the murders he was accused and found guilty of committing, and also help the townspeople in their time of need (mainly through the actions of his sweet sidekick).There are so many elements to this novel that make it stand out for me. One key is the theme of deciding actions based on the flip of a coin, and another is Jeremiah's seemingly supernatural gift.
This story takes place during the dustbowl of the 1930s and is described so well that you can almost feel the dust settling in your lungs and clothes. There is a beautiful balance between historical fact and subtle supernatural people and happenings that mesh very well. To be honest, the book has a bit of the flavor of Stephen King's earlier works to me. In essence, it is a story of strength in the face of adversity and the small miracles that help us to cope and survive.
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LibraryThing member erinclark
This book absolutely immersed me in the dust bowl experience, and in a good way. It is the story of twin brothers Jeremiah and and Josiah Goodbye who long ago had a falling out when Josiah turned Jeremiah in to the police for four murders he did not commit. Jeremiah wins a reprieve when the
Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher Dreamscape Media for an ARC of this highly entertaining audiobook.
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electrocution that was supposed to kill him runs awry and he escapes. He travels back to Nowhere Oklahoma to take revenge against his brother and on the way picks up/rescues a young non verbal boy named Peter. When the dust settles on the brothers feud they have a truce of sorts. Jeremiah decides to stay in Nowhere and he and Peter move in to an abandoned home in town. Dust storms are common and sometimes deadly and the town people are just about done in by them, many of them have given up, but that is where Peter and Jeremiah can do their best work and help the towns people survive the hideous dust. There are elements of magical realism and the age old fight between good and evil interwoven throughout the story and I really, really liked these tropes. I love a story with a little bit of supernatural thrown in the mix. The characters are all well fleshed out and believable and I loved the underlying message of 'kindness breeds kindness'. The narrator was excellent and gave voice to each individual character. The author James H. Markert's writing and story telling style reminds me a little of one of my favorite authors Michael McDowell, although not as dark. I can highly recommend this book, especially the audio version.Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher Dreamscape Media for an ARC of this highly entertaining audiobook.
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Language
Physical description
8.4 inches
ISBN
078521741X / 9780785217411