Cress Delahanty

In "Cress Delahanty" the author, Indiana writer, prolific and renowned fictionalist, `Jessamyn West, has given a typical portrayal of what it was like for a young girl to pass through her teen-age years in Southern California. She desired as much as any girl, even though she was not a traveler, but a child living on a ranch. Today the story brings back the historical spirit of the 1940s and what it was like in that slower, safer time. It's hard to determine if this is now more appropriate for the originally intended audience of teenage girls, or is it a fond memory and nostalgia for more mature women. Women surely will rate it higher than men, as they will relate to the emotions of Cress much closer. However, author West was so good at writing, that even a man can understand some of the girlish feelings. Cress Delahanty passes through stages including: boyfriendlessness, clown, dancer, pianist, lover of signs & portents & Calvin Dean, actress (mom's idea), and the sacrifice. Sections were taken from magazines (The New Yorker, The Ladies' Home Journal, Harper's Magazine, Collier's, Woman's Day, The New Mexico Quarterly, and The Colorado Quarterly) so you see, West is a well received writer. This author is more noted for her book-to-movie "The Friendly Persuasion" and it's sequel, about Indiana Quakers, of which she was one at childhood. 'Except for Me and Thee', was also filmed for TV and a hit. Both the 2 books and movies, yet available, are recommended. For the men, and historically interested readers, I'd recommend West's book, "The Massacre at Fall Creek" a story, fictionalized true story, about the first American trial and hanging of men that killed Native American Indians. The first American prosecution of that offense happened in southern Indiana. A dramatic sage of 1825 life. The original Cress Delehanty has some drawings at the beginning of each of the 5 chapter units, created by Joe Krush. Many, if not all of Jessamyn West's books are available used, as many were republished, and republished. She left a legacy of fine family reading.

When I was in sixth grade, the St. Louis Public Library still had a branch in the basement of our school, and it was there, in the "junior fiction" department, that I discovered Cress Delahanty, Jessamyn West's soon-to-be-teen girl, growing up on her family's citrus ranch. Ms. West created a character that appealed to my--shall we say androgynous?--self-image. Cress was more like me than anybody I knew: she was more like a boy in some ways, and yet more like a girl in others, and like me she seemed to have problems defining the lines between the two. Her father was the sage that advised her through much of her growing up--and he seemed to me to be the kind of man I would like to be when I got there. The thing I remember most, though, about Cress is her lovely poem: Once I was young and had dreams Now I am old and have children. Dreams are evanescent; dreams fade: Children do not. But then again, You do not have to wipe the noses of your dreams. If that's not quite correct, it's because I haven't seen the book in over forty years, but I think I'm close to right. And indeed, one does not have to wipe the noses of one's dreams. I think about Cress from time to time, and most recently as I write this: for me in some not exclusive way she reminds me of what I thought growing up should be about, and how I thought I should react to it. I think I must read this one again.

I plan to read Cress Delahanty to my daughter when she's about 10 or 11. The author, Jessamyn West, has captured the "evanescent" (one of Cress's favorite words) nature of a young girl's personality as she is growing up. The book is a collection of stories about a girl between the ages of 11 and 17 who lives on a ranch in Southern California. Each chapter entrances the reader with Cress's shenanigans. You think she is doing something outlandish or brave; you think the story is going one way, and then you get a view into the workings of Cress's mind and you suddenly understand what she's doing and the story goes in a different direction. As an adolescent I loved Cress because she was me, in all her insecurity, feats of boldness, crass humanity and growing understanding of boys, friends, family and relationships.The last chapter transcends all and always makes me cry.

Jesamyn West gives us a character in Crescent Delahanty that is so real you think she just might have been your friend when you were thirteen. Cres, as she is called in the book represents the struggles for peer acceptance and young love that any young woman can relate to. West's acute attention to the details of Cres's external environment (growing up on a ranch) and the other characters who impact on Cres's life deserves applause.