Boy at the Crossroads: From Teenage Runaway to Class President

Review
Coming of age books, especially those that are true, are probably my favorite genre and this one is terrific. It is a well-written story that will appeal to readers of all ages.
I found "Boy at the Crossroads" inspiring. The fast-moving pace takes us from the restlessness of a boy born in the early 1940s in eastern Tennessee to a young man in his early twenties. This book demonstrates the value of a strong work ethic better than anything else I have ever read (and I've read a lot). It is not an easy book to put down so get comfortable and enjoy.
The journey is well worth the read. - Zelly
"Boy at the Crossroads," written and listed as fiction was very factual to me being a classmate of Conley at Halls High School in the late 50's and early 60's. When his family moved to the Halls community from Happy Holler in Knoxville, none of the students were aware of his family dynamics. I knew Conley was a survivor, and now I know why. Anyone who grew up during this time period will be reminded of the blunders of their youth. I wish every adolescent would read "Boy at the Crossroads.: There are lessons to be learned from Conley Ford. - David Wayland
More than anything else, this is a tale of human resiliency that reminds us that each one of us is ultimately in charge of our own destiny. - AG
For any youngster who has made some bad choices leading to a life of crime or destruction Conley's story could possibly be life-changing. - Amazon Customer
Booklife, June 2021:
Ford debuts with the fictionalized coming-of-age story of her husband, Conley Ford, and his rural southern upbringing of poverty, hard knocks, and survival. Conley, one of sixteen children raised by hard-working (albeit apathetic) parents in Tennessee, is searching for a way out of his seemingly one-way road to nowhere. After running into some neighborhood troublemakers, he tests the waters with stealing golf balls and eventual car theft, only to land in jail at the age of thirteen- a fiasco that kicks off his first of many attempts to run away and jumpstarts his fierce desire for independence.
Themes of kinship and filial bonds reverberate throughout Ford's loving account. Conley's father, in constant survival mode, has a "mean streak," and often pushes Conley to the breaking point; however, although the hero takes off every time his home life becomes too much to handle, he always returns to the fold after tasting adventure. Readers will be captivated by his classic capers, such as hitchhiking to Florida with a stranger named Al (who uses him to cash bad checks along the way) and being left on his own in New Orleans, where he transforms into a "cracker-jack" hot dog salesman-"Flanked by vendors at least three times my age, I felt like I was part of an army heading into battle to win hungry folks over with a great hotdog."
Ford's descriptions stand out, launching readers straight into the 1940s and 1950s for a front-row view of Conley's tumultuous but entertaining exploits. Americana-minded readers will wax nostalgic at Conley's hunger for "fishing, squirrel hunting, the Smoky Mountains, grits, and sweet tea" and be absorbed in these rousing tales but also the evocative milieu, from his sister Betty's "cherry-red lipstick that contrasted with her jet-black hair" to the twelve-cent hamburgers and back roads drag racing. Much like the "Single-lane roads twist like snakes through the trees in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains," this heartfelt story offers a beautiful ramble through unforgettable territory.
Takeaway: Rip-roaring escapades and nostalgic musings in an American coming-of-age adventure.
Great for fans of: Donna Florio's Growing up Bank Street, Delia Owens's Where the Crawdads Sing, Lisa Howorth's Summerlings.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
He hitched a ride to a different life. Only time would tell if it would be better or worse...
Tennessee, 1955. Conley Ford le