The house is dark, quiet, and empty as Frank Wilcox makes a promise to his daddy, Tom. One day, Frank promises, he will tell the stories—the adventures and misadventures—of life on the family hog farm in north Georgia. The farm is the home where Frank and his brothers, Jack and Wayne, learn life lessons about family and faith.
That’s the backdrop of Brookwood Road, a novel inspired by author Scott Douglas Vaughan’s childhood. Vaughan turns those memories into rich stories centered around Frank, the thoughtful and protective oldest brother of the bunch, and his life growing up on the farm.
Frank and his brothers hatch a plan to get chocolate milk from the milk delivery man. They learn about the value of community as folk contribute to their treehouse plans. Building a dirt bike trail shows them the value of hard work, and Frank gets the “talk†from his grandfather regarding how girls are different.
It’s not all sunshine. There are issues like jealousy, alcoholism, and a little meanness. There are lessons to be learned. But there’s also an innocence throughout as Vaughan celebrates the richness of his childhood home.