The Legend of Bobby Bush

The Barnes & Noble Review
Author/playwright Shelia P. Moses offers up this moving, historical narrative told through the words of a young girl who confronts adversity in 1940s North Carolina.

Although Pattie Mae Sheals has dreams of going to Harlem, where some of her family lives, she knows that Rehobeth Road in Rich Square is really home. But when her grandpa develops a brain tumor and her uncle Buddy Bush -- who's come to town from Harlem in his sky-blue Cadillac and pinstripe suit -- gets falsely accused of attempting to rape a white woman, Pattie Mae's world turns upside down. Grandpa's eyesight gradually begins to fail and Buddy is put behind bars, which of course gives Pattie Mae plenty to worry about. Yet with the strength of her family and the support of local townsfolk, her hope remains strong -- particularly after some spectacular events free Buddy from jail. Unfortunately, things don't entirely happen for the best, but in the end, Pattie Mae's Harlem-bound dreams take shape.

Told superbly and simply, Moses' book is a historical read that will keep readers absorbed with its story and message. Since the author describes events through the eyes of Pattie Mae, the plot marvelously rises and falls along with the narrator's experiences, bonding audiences closer to her as the drama unfolds toward the satisfying ending. An author's note about Buddy Bush and photos of the real personalities are provided in back, resulting in a novel that's sure to reverberate beyond the last page. Shana Taylor