The Blue Orchard

by Jackson Taylor

Book Overview

On the eve of the Great Depression, Verna Krone, the child of Irish immigrants, must leave the eighth grade and begin working as a maid to help support her family. Her employer takes inappropriate liberties, and as Verna matures, it seems as if each man she meets is worse than the last. Through sheer force of will and a few chance encounters, she manages to teach herself to read and becomes a nurse. But Verna's new life falls to pieces when she is...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416592946
• ISBN13: 9781416592945
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Touchstone Books
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

A Classic

After reading such a fantastic - literally, a masterpiece of fiction - written by this first time author actually leaves me speechless. Suffice to say, I was not expecting the absolute jolt of the subject matter or the poetic writing style that I received the minute I read the very first page. In this absolutely riveting story, which the author bases on his grandmother's life, we meet Verna Krone. Verna is a young girl who was pulled out of school early to care for her family. Her father was a lot older than her mother and was quite ill, so Verna was enlisted to make some money so that the family wouldn't starve. She was sent to work as a housekeeper and general all-round worker at the Wertz farm which was a four hour journey across the mountain from her home. She didn't mind Mr. and Mrs. Wertz at first; they were "plain-folk" even though they lived in a large brick house and had food on the table. The strange part was that Mrs. Wertz always seemed like she was "mourning the girl she used to be," and Verna had no idea why she was always so sad. Unfortunately, Verna found out, and her time with them grew frightening when Mr. Wertz decided there were other "things" she could do in his household...for his special enjoyment. We follow Verna as she goes from job to job, trying to outrun the fact that Mr. Wertz had given more to her than just wages. After her situation was "taken care of," Verna ended up working at a roadhouse for an extremely nice man who would never take advantage of a girl so young. Unfortunately, that man, through various choices, ended up leaving her to her own devices and Verna ended up working in a variety of odd-jobs throughout Pennsylvania. At one point in the story, she finds herself desperately in love with a man named Charles. He is kind to her and treats her well. As Verna awaits the birth of their child, she also awaits the proposal from Charles, who ends up to be completely opposite from the man Verna thought he was. Eventually Verna finds herself going to a school to get her nurses' license. After all, she's an extremely hard worker and she knows that no matter what she needs to do or how hard the pressures will be that come with the medical profession, she is strong enough to achieve the skill necessary for a better life for her and her family. She ends up working for a doctor who is quite the hero. This man is the Vice Chairman of the Republican Party; he's the leader of the African American YMCA; and, has lived a life that is filled with tribute dinners and testimonials for all the hard work that he's done throughout his lifetime in order to make peoples' lives better. Verna becomes a part of the Dr's practice, which helps women deal with their unwanted pregnancies. Now the Dr. is an upstanding member of the community, yet when the political arena "turns" the Doctor becomes a threat. Verna gets caught in the middle and finds herself standing trial for "illegal surgical procedures." There's so m

The Dark Side of Harrisburg, PA

"The Blue Orchard" tells the true story of Dr. charles Hoyt crampton, a black doctor, and his white nurse, Verna Krone. Excluded from practice in the white hospitals, he serves the black population of Harrisburg, not only with medicine but with pride and dignity. The learned doctor delivers the black vote to the Republican machine leader, Harvey Taylor. Dr. crampton is also the area's leading abortionist. It's a sad and unfortunate tale documenting bigotry and betrayal along with Harrisburg history in the first half of the 20th century. Regardless of your position on abortion, it is a tale worth reading.

astonishingly beautiful debut novel

"The Blue Orchard" is very rare - a literary, lyrical, vividly rendered novel told through a fascinating dramatic story that also has a strong moral consciousness and soul. I couldn't put it down.

fantastic novel

I cannot put this book down. The Blue Orchard is extremely well-written and I love the narrator's voice. (The main character tells her life story in the first person.) I also like how the reader gets an overview in the prologue, so we know from the start that this book will be be about the era of illegal abortions and the narrator's involvement as a nurse. The Blue Orchard is one of the best boks I have read in ages and I read a lot. The fact this book is based upon a true story makes it even more compelling. Kudos, Mr Jackson Taylor!

"The Blue Orchard" is literature at its finest!

"The Blue Orchard" is definitely a modern classic. Don't delay, get a hold of this book and read it now. But clear your schedule first; it took all my willpower to pull myself away from its mesmerizing pages. "The Blue Orchard" is in a league with "The Grapes of Wrath," "The Color Purple" and "The Stone Diaries," and now shares a place with these on my shelf of honor. Taylor is an amazing storyteller. I came to be fascinated by his complex, feisty, human, resourceful heroine Verna Krone. I wanted to hear her story. The book also delves into the complexities of abortion, race, class and gender in a rich manner. It's the perfect book club book--a page-turner with depth that continues to reveal. This is literature at its finest. Taylor is also a poet... which explains much of the beauty in the words. I've checked out some of his poetry on the book's website ... if you're a poetry fan, it's definitely worth the visit. I can't wait to read what he writes next.