An Hour Before Daylight

Not since Abraham Lincoln have Americans become as familiar with another humble U.S. President raised in the heart of farm country as they are with Jimmy Carter. Carter revisits his Depression-era childhood growing up in Georgia before the Civil Rights Movement. Recounting treasured memories, Carter speaks candidly about black workers on the farm and the respect shown to them by his mother and father. In fact, some of Carter's fondest recollections surround his relationships with blacks and the marvelous lessons they unselfishly taught him about nature, farming, spirituality, and friendship. This is an inspirational story of a family pulling together during tough times while living with dignity and the resultant respect and goodness that propelled a young boy to become a kind and revered leader. B.J.P. 2002 Grammy Nominee for Best Spoken Word Album (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine


Recalling the president's childhood experiences, the narrator takes listeners to the Carter family farm in Georgia, utilizing a heavy Southern drawl for the author's bland memories. He also takes many opportunities to create Southern voices for the relatives, adding spark to tales of farm chores, poverty, segregation, and dating. The rich stories of paternal discipline portray the values of a father, a small town, and an era of history called the Great Depression. Unfortunately, while the audiobook clearly portrays the milieu of the boy, the now mature author has left out what we wanted most--the personal feelings of the boy yet to become famous. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine