A Summer Remembered

A rare publishing event, A Summer Remembered will be enjoyed by both young people and adults alike. A Summer Remembered tells the charming story of an African-American childhood in the Appalachian region of Western North Carolina. A delightful coming-of-age memoir, A Summer Remembered is the true story of the summer of 1956 when the author turned twelve years old, and his first-cousin Ike, who is already twelve, comes to visit for the whole summer. Ike is sent to Morganton, away from his hometown of Durham, North Carolina, because during the school year he came under the influence of a gang of tough boys. He is sent to spend the summer with his grandfather, DePapa, who is strict, morally upright, and church going. Ike's parents also hope that he will benefit from the good behavior of his cousin Johnny, the author. As the story reveals, its not clear who has influenced whom by the time the summer is over. A Summer Remembered also tells the story of the African-American community that has lived in the Appalachian region of Western North Carolina since slavery. It specifically recounts how one African-American family in this community, the Flemings, emerged from slavery to build a strong family line that still survives.