Destiny Gardens
Author: John Harrison
A disparate group of abandoned kids in the late 1950s band together for survival in a vacant, derelict public meeting hall. In their Dickensian world, they cross paths with Mafia godfather, Charles "Lucky" Luciano, and a sinister New Orleans pimp named Rance Charles who has arrived to reclaim what is his.
In the style of Stephen King's The Body (a.k.a. Stand by Me) and the novels of S.E. Hinton, Destiny Gardens opens a door into a world not so far distant when the definition of "child" and "adult" was a distinction without a difference.
Reviews
Destiny Gardens is an enchanting read from another time in history. Set in the 50s, Mr. Harrison paints a picture of a simpler life, yet one of poverty and social injustice. Destiny Gardens deals with a sad reality in a hopeful, charming voice.
Literary R&R
Destiny Gardens is an excellent look at what life might have been like for an orphaned or runaway youth in the 1950s. Banding together, they become the family for one another that they don't have. Suitable for readers of literary fiction of all ages from teens to adults.
Shelf Full of Books
A compelling, heartwarming story. A vivid portrait of the time, and you will not soon forget these characters.
Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times Best Selling Author
An enthralling book that brings us deeply into the inner lives of its youthful characters, amid the grimy atmosphere of a rusting Eastern city in the late 1950s.
Stephen Billias, author of The American Book of the Dead and The Quest for the 36
A wonderful eye for place and period. A story that's full of surprises. An impressive fictional debut.
David Guy, author of The Autobiography of My Body and The Man Who Loved Dirty Books
Harrison evokes time and place as gracefully as Betty Smith's classic, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.
Katherine Tomlinson, author of Just Another Day In Paradise and LA Nocturne
Buy the Book
