Brother Odell Gets the Call to Preach: Book of Short Stories

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This collection of short stories chronicles the lives of two brothers and their musically gifted cousins in the rural town of Bennetts Crossroads from the 1940s to the present. One brother graduates college while the other works in a local cotton mill. A call to preach from the younger brother, Odell, creates a rift that leads to a 20-year estrangement. The narrative is filled with raunchy music, moonshine antics from Burl Thompson and his seven spirited daughters, and the bittersweet journey of a cousin who nears fame but faces disappointment. Another cousin, Uncle Flop, struggles with PTSD after serving in Vietnam, marries a Thompson girl, and endures a tumultuous life marked by incarceration and disappearance. In their 70s, the brothers attempt to reconcile during a weekend camping trip on their childhood farm. As they confront significant issues such as truth, evil, war, and religion, they ultimately find common ground and share music once more, leading to a heartwarming conclusion. This is not a children's book; several stories contain adult themes and sexual content. The author, Herman Myrick, has dedicated years to honing his craft, beginning with a story written during his night shifts in a textile mill. Born in 1941 in North Carolina, he grew up on a small farm and has pursued writing passionately ever since.