The Red Scarf

While this is indeed a Christmas story, and an excellent Christmas story I might add, it goes way beyond that. When this work was first written and published it was no doubt targeted toward the younger reader. As happens every so often though, the author transcended this smaller group and created a work that will appeal to all ages. It is a wonderful Tom Sawyer type of adventure with all the background, humor and whimsy of that notable work. Now I am big into regional authors and this writer can certainly be classified as such. I hesitate to use this term though in fear leaving the impression that only people who live in rural Arkansas or in the rural South will be interested in and take delight in reading this work. This is far from the mark. The story here is pretty universal and will appeal to readers just about anywhere in the country, both urban and country. The story covers a short period of time; the few days just before Christmas right up to Christmas Day. The setting is in S.W. Arkansas in the year 1944, in a typical very small town common of that time. This follows the adventures of a young lad of eleven years old and his friend as the teller of the story, Richard is on a quest to buy a red scarf as a Christmas present for the prettiest girl in school, thereby winning her admiration, approval and hopefully her heart. This kid has a bad case of love to deal with. The problem is of course money. As the town's paper boy, and coming from a typically cash strapped family, young Richard is without the immediate means of purchasing this wonderful Christmas gift. The author has filled this work with an array of local `characters,' all of who are so very typical of that area and that era. There are bad guys and good guys, ordinary people and eccentric people, friends and enemies. The writer of this tale, who by the way is a master story teller, is able to capture the essence of each of his characters in swift descriptive sentences. I say this because the reader is not bogged down with endless explanations and descriptions which often times get in the way of a good story. No, the writer of this tale is one of those rare individual who can develop a character with very little fuss and muss and yet when he is finished, leaves the reader with the distinct impression that the person (or dog in the case of this book) is an old friend; or at the very least, a close acquaintance. Each chapter in this book covers an adventure and could almost be read as a stand-alone story, but each chapter of course is linked and woven into the next and the story quickly develops. Richard Mason has captured perfectly what it was like to grow up in a country-small town-rural and southern place at that time in our history. He has nailed the people perfectly; their attitudes, wants, wishes, live style an above all, how all of this is perceived through the eyes of a small boy. The book is obviously quite autobiographical, but like all good story telle

We read this together out loud as a family (3 boys 13, 11, 7). The boys were rolling in the floor they were laughing so hard! (Mom and Dad were hee hawing as well) Mr. Mason makes you feel like you are right there in the thick of things. I could hardly read some chapters for crying through them but turn the page and he'd have you laughing again. I even read a chapter for my Cub Scouts at Pack Meeting and they were begging for more. Young and old everyone will love this book! We can hardly wait for his next book.

The author has written an excellent Christmas story with a most unusual ending. The style of writing is reminiscent of Mark Twain and captures the readers attention from page one to the surprise ending. The novel recounts the struggles and adventures of two young boys who are best friends in rural South Arkansas during the mid-forties. Despite all obstacles with which the boys are faced, they do have a very Merry Christmas. This novel is excellent reading and I recommend it to all.

Every single person I have shared your book with has loved it. My father just finished it and absolutely could not say enough wonderful things about it. In fact, he asked me if the New York Times had read it and said they really needed to share it with the rest of the world. And, he's buying a copy to give to my Uncle for Christmas. My 9-year-old son even told me how much some of the kids at his school were enjoying reading it and grabbed his copy to start reading it on his own. That is really, really saying something when a piece of literature can cut across so many generations and bring so much Christmas joy to so many. Congratulations and thanks for sharing a piece of your Arkansas childhood with the rest of us!

Excellent story of life in the rural South from years gone by. I would very favorably compare this book to John Grisham's 'A painted House'. It exemplifies the upbringing that formed this generation. For all ages, a really good tale.