A Cry of Angels

I had to read this book in 10th grade English class. I liked it so much I stole the book! I read extensively, and this is one book, along with Rand's The Fountainhead that I can read again and again and again... I have given this book to everyone, and I've even read it aloud to my husband. Jeff Fields' characters are as richly developed as any...I only wish I could meet Earl. I encourage everyone to read this book, especially if you like Southern Lit. By the way, can anyone tell me what happened to Jeff Fields, or if he has written anything else?

I've read and re-read this book since I got it from a book club in about 1974 or '75. I only loaned it to a couple of people before I finally tracked down a second copy in a junk store. Now I loan out my second copy to all my friends. Everyone who reads it wants to buy my book from me -- but no way! The characters in this story, from orphaned Earl to the giant Indian Em are some of the most richly drawn in literature. By the time you finish "Cry of Angels" you know Jayell and Phaedra, as well as the quietly brave old men and women who have been farmed out by their families. These are wonderful people and this is a truly wonderful, truly funny and touching book. I wish that Mr. Fields had written many more books, but this wonder seems to have been his only one. Hope that "Cry of Angels" is re-printed someday so that more people can enjoy it as I have.

As a librarian I have read and reviewed countless books; this title is unquestionably one of the best. This book has everything; humor, tragedy, adventure, love and redemption, and would make a great movie provided the industry could produce it without tinkering with the story. The plot is full of facinating characters so rich they could each be a story in themselves, and the setting is so accurately evocative of a time and place that it should be required reading for all social studies or history classes dealing with the issues of: racial relations, economic development, and social conditions in this country at mid-century.

The story of an orphan boy surrounded by unique and fascinating characters. The book should be put back in print and be required reading. It deals with social, political, and racial issues and does so as no other book I have ever read.

I was looking at your website hoping to find another copy of this delightful book. It is a compellingly told story about an orphan boy and his strange collection of friends ("old people", a drunken indian, a black boy, etc.) in a southern rural town racked with racial, economic and political tension. The story is a great adventure , quite believable, and despite the chilling build-up, ends very satisfactorily. It's funny, frightening, heart-warming, a page-turner. Read it if you can find it. Don't understand why it's not more widely available.