Hardscrabble Road

by George Weinstein

The entire MacLeod clan is haunted by secrets - and young Roger "Bud" MacLeod doesn't realize he carries the biggest secret of all. Growing up poor in Depression-era South Georgia, Bud is cursed with a sturrter and a birthnark that disfigures his face. His hateful father and amoral mother make life worse still, despite his brothers' efforts to shield him.

To survive in body and soul, Bud must discover his strengths and confront the sins of his parents. First though, he'll need to grasp his own truth; that he can't embrace his future until he comes to terms with his past.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Southern, Book Club, Historical, Novels, American

353 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

George Weinstein is the author of the Southern historical novel Hardscrabble Road, its sequel Return to Hardscrabble Road, the kidnapping thriller Watch What You Say, the amateur-sleuth murder mystery Aftermath, the novel of forgotten US history The Five Destinies of Carlos Moreno, and the contemporary relationship drama The Caretaker, as well as the children's adventure book Jake and the Tiger Flight.

He has always written: by six years old, he had written a collection of superhero plays for his stuffed animals to act out, to entertain his brother and sister. And, his family will attest, he loved telling lies as a youth, even when there was no penalty for telling the truth, just to see what he could get away with and for how long. So, it’s little wonder he now writes fiction.

His work has been published in the Atlanta press and in regional and national anthologies, including A Cup of Comfort for Writers. His first novel, the children’s motivational adventure Jake and the Tiger Flight, was written for the nonprofit Tiger Flight Foundation, which is dedicated to the mission of leading the young to become the “Pilot in Command” of their lives. He wishes that there had been such an organization in Laurel, Maryland, where he misspent his youth.

George is the current Executive Director of the Atlanta Writers Club (AWC) and has twice-served as President. Since 2008, he has directed the twice-yearly Atlanta Writers Conference for the AWC, bringing in acquisition editors and literary agents to help members understand the business of writing and achieve their dreams of publication. The AWC was established in 1914. George was established only a few years later; he has a self-portrait in his attic that looks like hell.

He lives with his wife, her two daughters, and their cats in Marietta, GA.

Reviews

[Angela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

Pretty much every day, 6 year old Bud McLeod and his brothers are hit in the face or wacked with a belt or sometimes hit on the side of their heads with the butt of a rifle by their bootlegger father with a meanness that is just hard to understand. Young Bud has a stutter and a wine colored birthmark on his face and thankfully has two older brothers who look out for him, help him fend off the bullies. Thankfully he has a teacher who cares about him and a loyal friend. Without this support, I can’t imagine how Bud would have survived this “hardscrabble” life of poverty, beatings, and what results from the dysfunctional relationship between his mother and father.

Not much happens in the first half of the book: the boys work the farm, get beaten by their father, go to school . This is the way of life of this dysfunctional family during the depression in Georgia. Depressing and not easy to read, the first half moved pretty slowly and I almost put it down. The abuse was so hard to read about. But, then secrets are divulged. Bud finds out something about his father that he keeps from all of the family, but explains his frequent absences. As this part of the story unfolds, there is even more heartache. A secret about Bud comes to light and this with everything that happens forces this young boy to grow up and face the tough things that are difficult for adults, let alone a little boy. The rest of the book moves fairly quickly and you can’t help but root for him all of the way as he matures into a young man. There are a couple of “haints” who make appearances and if you can manage them and the grit of this story, Bud will steal your heart.

I received a copy of this book from Southern Fried Karma through Edelweiss.

[Will Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Weinstein writes his novel in a way that makes Georgia in the 1930s and 40s seem real. While the details of Bud MacLeod’s life are depressing and make you wish he didn’t have to live in such a cruel time with such a cruel family, you eventually end up rooting for him and hoping that he makes something out of himself. The way he discovers the secrets of his identity and faces his past as he’s forced to enter adulthood makes this book worth finishing, even while his experiences and disadvantages make you feel sorry for him. The characters and the colorful details of a bygone era make this a compelling read.

[Mark All · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Hardscrabble Road, George Weinstein has painted a moving coming of age novel spanning the years from the Great Depression to after World War II. The story of a south Georgia boy's rough road to adulthood and selfhood has breadth and depth, drama, and stunning but inevitable twists and surprises. Beautiful prose marks this literary work, but the author's greatest gifts are the characters who'll live with you long after you finish the book.

[H.W. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m usually a thriller/suspense-genre reader, and might occasionally venture into nonfiction--history or religion. But coming-of-age novels, never. I made an exception, however, for George Weinstein’s HARDSCRABBLE ROAD. And, boy, am I glad I did.

HARDSCRABBLE ROAD is masterfully crafted tale of a young boy growing up in south Georgia at the height of the Great Depression. The book’s protagonist, Bud MacLeod, doesn’t have to deal with just growing up dirt poor, but with with a host of other challenges, too. An abusive father. A sociopathic mother. A disfiguring birthmark. A stutter.

But at least the kid has a few friends: two brothers willing to stand up for him, a kind teacher, a “different-looking” girl friend, and a couple of Negro field workers who shield him as best they can.

Weinstein doesn’t just carry you back in time to the tough years of the 1930s in the Deep South, he EMBEDS you in them. You feel the dirt, sense the despair, fear for Bud.

HARDSCRABBLE ROAD is more than a good read, it’s a truly great story. One that will stick with you long after you’ve said goodbye to Bud MacLeod . . . and hello to a new writing star, George Weinstein.

[Liz Lazarus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent imagery and compelling characters - I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I happen to know the author, George Weinstein, so know the story is partially based on real people, which make me root even harder for young Bud.

[Alan Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that is often nightmarish and stark in its vivid descriptions, Hardscrabble Road alternately exudes a mysterious sweetness and naivety that cannot help but capture a reader’s heart. By absorbing you into the mind and emotions of a young boy, enduring countless challenges during the depression years in the rural south, George Weinstein takes you on a journey of growing up through endurance, and unfailing resilience.

As for the 'southerness' of the story: those who knew people that lived during the depression in "the country", will recognize haunting echoes of the language, lifestyle, and perspectives of those who toiled and lived day by day, without the promise of anything good for tomorrow. Hanging in there and coming of age with Roger "Bud" MacLeod will remain for me, a source of strength and optimism.

[Tom Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those rare works that tears you up inside from its first moments, makes you angry enough to spit, and yet warms your heart from the nobility of an Innocent learning the hard lessons of a cruelly indifferent World. You wonder at Bud’s ignorance, thrill at his eagerness to learn, tremble at his fear and cheer as he rises from the canvas again and again knowing another blow is coming.

I was thoroughly immersed in all of the characters, some drawn in just a few scenes, but so perfectly drawn. This Coming of Age tale transcends many of its genre in the identification of its Author with his Hero and the accuracy of its portrayal of a World the Reader hopefully will never know.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, excuse the overly misused word, Masterpiece! Five Stars *****

[Valerie Connors · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written, heartwarming and heartbreaking, this is a story that engages the reader at page one and doesn't release you, even after you've finished the last page and closed the book. Hardscrabble Road is a powerful story, and a testament to the human spirit and what it can endure. Five stars are not enough for this one.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My family is from Worth County, Georgia which neighbors Colquitt a county or two over. I felt like I was glimpsing into my my grandparents way of life during this entire novel. My grandfather was a poor sharecropper and one of 12 children by one mother and 6 by another mother. All of them had the same daddy who stole the money they sent home from their time working from the war and on FDR's CCC projects. Several of his siblings were killed in the war and/or were barely of age to enlist, just like Bud.

The vernacular Weinstein used, the way of life, the very essence of this book brought back so many memories. Everyone knows a Mrs. Wingate and a family like the Elrod family. Those names are not only prevalent in SoWGA, but you know families akin to those characters as well. The relationships with the Negroes were spot on too. My grandfather's closest friends were his "hands" who were never even allowed in the house. We all have that one crazy aunt who's not just quite right either. Nailed them.

This book just spoke to me on so many levels, and I savored it from cover to cover. I read the whole novel in one sitting. Great job Mr. Weinstein. If I hadn't looked him up, I would have assumed he was a 100 year old man who grew up in the depression era south. He's not. He's an author who actually lives very close to me now.

I'm looking forward to checking out more of his books and definitely passing this one along to my SoWGA family. I need a Roger/Riezen sequel.

Oh, and it ranks right up there with To Kill A Mockingbird in EVERY SINGLE WAY!

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Weinstein at a bookstore in Ponce City Market in Atlanta and he convinced me to give his books a try. Hardscrabble Road is the first of the four books that I have read and I’m happy to have taken this chance.

While Hardscrabble Row may not be written about any one real individual. It is a tribute to an era not long past, but foreign to many today. The vivid descriptions brought to life the experiences of a young boy growing up during harsh times in rural Georgia. Indeed, you will feel the warm sun pounding on your head and the pine straw under your bare feet as vividly as the sweat that comes from fearing an adult who has little control over himself but every control over you. In it, I glimpsed a little of my father’s childhood and what made him into the man he is today.

If you are willing to sink yourself into a story and really feel the hardness that made small joys seem so sweet in Roger’s (or someone like him) world, I highly recommend Hardscrabble Road.

[Ronald Ricketson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Left Me Wanting More

I must admit to being partial to the coming of age genre. That said, I do not freely give “five star” reviews. “To Kill A Mockingbird” sets the bar for me. This author earned it. The characters are believable and you quickly bond with Bud. It is a bittersweet tale and the author weaves it masterfully. Most important, the reader never knows what is coming next and is never cliche. In short, this story is tragically believable. The author draws the reader into the story as a silent observer, but doesn’t bog it down being overly descriptive. It feels real. I didn’t want it to stop...that’s when you know you’ve experienced something special. I highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a fine piece of literature.

[Kira FlowerChild · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, heartbreaking story about growing up literally dirt-poor in the Georgia backwoods during the Depression. Bud, or Roger, is six years old when the story begins. His father is a hard man who doesn't hesitate to beat his sons, sometimes almost to death. There is drama and tragedy in this story, which is extremely well written and held my interest from start to finish. Although the story is fiction, it is based on the reminiscences of the author's father-in-law, and has an air of authenticity that transports the reader in time and space back more than eighty years to the hardscrabble farms of south Georgia. Highly recommended.

[solitaryfossil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. The story of a young boy growing up in depression-era Georgia wasn’t an easy, fun read - the MC had a horrible childhood filled with abuse and neglect. The book brought to life some interesting characters and situations, and had a hard-edged realism that was refreshing to read.

[Karen Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was hard to put down, Made me laugh, and cry.

[Mari Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a re-read as I first devoured this book when it was released many years ago, and that was when our book club had our first introduction to George Weinstein, the author. His honesty, authenticity and conversational skills led to a fabulous discussion of the book, including much of the backstory and his personal tie to the fictional storyline.

Over the years, he has come to visit us to discuss ALL of his books, this being the sixth. Each meeting is always a highlight for us as he brings so much to the table. Last night our book club met to discuss the sequel to this book, Return to Hardscrabble Road. I wasn't sure if I would have time to read both, so I read the sequel first to make sure I could contribute to the conversation (review just posted) and then did find the time to re-read the original.

The ties between the 2 books were seamless and he paid great attention to detail to ensure that the storyline was accurate and that there weren't glaring errors in specifics. Reading it in reverse order was actually quite interesting, and I forgot how much I loved the original!

As he mentioned during our book club discussion, he is a different writer now than he was when he first published this book. Because of his delving into writing some thriller and mystery type books, the pace of the sequel was much quicker, spanning only a five day period, whereas the original spanned the entire childhood.

I honestly can't pick a favorite. I like them both for different reasons. My love for descriptive language makes me lean towards the first; however, he still uses wonderful words in the sequel, but the chapters are shorter and more of cliffhangers. The characters are well developed in both, and they are both action packed, but in different ways, and more so in the second.

All in all - if you are a sucker for a story of rough childhood environments, specifically in South Georgia, and back in the 1930's, then you are in for a treat! I would especially recommend both of these books, the original and the sequel, as well as his other arsenal of books.

He gave us a sneak peek into some of the things he is working on, as well as the works of his wife, so we are looking forward to our seventh meeting with him at some point and time when one is published.

Oh...also, the original is already on audiobooks and he was pleased with the narrator, and then found a new narrator for the sequel whom he is SUPER pleased with so if you're a listener, these sound like great options!

[Peggy Corbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard scrabble Road is one of the bleakest books I’ve ever read but was unputdownable. I grew up in Bainbridge, Ga which figures prominently in the story and spent a lot of time in Colquitt with my friends who had family there and in Brinson. I also spent many happy hours in the cold water of Spring Creek. So naturally the book spoke to the places in my heart. My dad was a math teacher at Colquitt High School when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He recalled being warned to get out of Miller County (and back to equally notorious Baker County) before dark when he took the job. I thought I knew poverty, but this book pulled the curtain back for a glimpse of what I might have been shielded from as a child. And I surely never witnessed the kind of violence against children that Roger endured.
My take away from this stark tale is Roger ‘s (Bud’s) resilience. The overwhelming deprivation and cruelty he experienced were enough to cripple him for life but his inner strength and his sense of self prevailed. A true testament to one boy’s will to survive. Books like this one are a great example of empathy building which we are told is a novel’s biggest strength. When one is tempted to judge everyone e from his own experience there are the Buds to remind us that not everyone starts in third base. With two horrible excuses for parents Bud is forced to navigate the world with impossibly limited support. Except! There’s that one teacher whose power must never be underestimated. And his brothers who have his back though only children themselves. And the black neighbors who showed him great tenderness. Need Trigger alerts? Domestic violence, child abuse, racist language to name a few. It is not a story for the faint of heart but it is a story with great heart.

[Kieran Purtill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one starts out a bit slowly in order to fully draw you into the dirt filled world of depression era South Georgia. That deliberateness gradually gives way to an absorbing look at the world through the eyes of a child who, because of the time and place he lives in, had to grow up much faster than any child should. One of those books that I wish just kept going because I wanted to know more and more and more about these characters. I could not put it down the last 50 pages.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

No wonder they were the greatest generation...if these fictional youths are valid examples, they were dealing with hard labor, poverty, near-starvation, and grotesque violence at a very young age; no wonder, too, they ran to the military for reprieve.

[Rag. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiction, when done right, allows readers to fully experience the lives of people they might otherwise never give a second thought to. In other words, good fiction helps its audience become better people by enhancing the one quality that makes us all human—empathy. Hardscrabble Road does exactly that.

I grew up far removed, both in space and time, from Depression-era South Georgia, where this story is set. I have nothing in common with any of the characters in this book. Yet, it evoked intense and powerful emotions in me.

‘Bud’ will stay in my thoughts for a long time.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Georgia native, more specifically Columbus, it’s safe to say this book hit close to home. Bud has a distinct voice that i could almost hear when i read. This was a beautiful story of what is right, what is wrong, and how the human spirit perseveres throughout both. Ending 2024 with this read was a genuine treat. I will never stop recommending this book.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this heartbreaking coming of age story of Bud growing up in a family of secrets. This story takes place in the 1930's-1940's in southern Georgia.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memorable and real characters beginning with 'Bud' (Roger). Dirt poor and dysfunctional, Bud's farming family is beholden to his moody, often brutal father. The ultimate underdog, Bud has several 'rescuers' throughout the novel, including a teacher who sees the good in and hope for Bud that the little boy is unable to see. Bud cares deeply for others and strives to be a rescuer himself. Keenly observant, Bud is fairly adept at trying to process his place in the world. We, the readers, learn through Bud's eyes as he grows. We feel what he feels ... physically, emotionally, spiritually. Throughout Bud's experiences we readers love or loathe the cast of characters in Bud's world, we empathize, we laugh, we cry, we hurt. As a whole host of secrets are revealed, tragic and transformative, we wonder the short and long-term impacts on young Bud. Hardscrabble Road is an unforgettable read of the rural south of the 1930s and 40s. For anyone who was forced to grow up far too quickly, amid hardship and challenging circumstance, we identify with, in reality, we become Bud, the little boy walking along Hardscrabble Road.

[Phyllis prier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Bud and didn’t want the story to end. a must read for those seeking a story of triumph over abuse!

i am a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I firmly believe childhood experiences form the platform of personality development; some victims of abuse remain victims and later perpetrators. Others such as Bud and many of his relatives and friends find resilience and rise as victors rather than victims. while reading this book, real life acquaintances came to mind and their experiences were clearly illustrated thru Bud and others. We like to tell ourselves that the ignorance and prejudices demonstrated here are relics of past; that is delusional thinking. The greater message however is that goodness, love, forgiveness and looking beyond self to a greater purpose will be triumphant.

[Ray Dan Parker]

So, I'm reading this book, and I'm thinking to myself, "I know these folks." George Weinstein's Hard Scrabble Road takes place near Colquitt, Georgia during the Great Depression. While I'm not nearly old enough to remember that time, I do know the place, and George describes it perfectly. I grew up just a few miles south of there across the Florida line, in the same county, no doubt, where Mance MacLeod goes to buy his moonshine.

What captivated me the first time I picked up this book at the Book Miser in Marietta, Georgia, was the clean crisp way in which Weinstein tells his story and the depth of character he creates with dialog alone. Everything you've heard comparing Weinstein to Erskine Caldwell and Eudora Welty is spot on.

[CYNTHIA Fillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Coming of Age Novel

This was the first book of Weinstein's that I read. Excellent doesn't even come close to describing it. It will wrap you tightly within its pages and then WHAM something happens that you didn't see coming and will shock you speechless!! It's the kind of book you don't want to put down. The kind where you want to hold the young boy and sooth his hurts. And shake the evil out of his parents. It will bring you to tears and make you silently cheer at the small wins against the hurtful life he lives. Can't go wrong with this book. And I can't wait to read another one of this author's books.

[B99A02GK · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Read

I'm not going to talk about the characters or story because the author did a superb job and I'm not going to ruin to ruin it. This book is well-written, and easy to fall into with readily identifiable characters (a few in particular) that grab you by the heart strings. You will want to jump into the page and seek justice for the person who can't; and again when just a little help could mean so much. Mr. Weinstein wrote an incredible book, and you are in for a wonderful read!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This incredible read is one not to be missed. I ached, and cried, and cheered for the main character, Bud. The pace of the story quickens as the book gets further along; you won't want to put it down.

Hardscrabble Road is about poverty and severe dysfunction, but it's more than that. There is hope and tenderness and wonder as well.

[Deidre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hardscrabble Road is vivid, raw, visceral, and heart-wrenching, yet tender and life-affirming. It's a little tedious in some places, but not for long stretches. Worth the read. George Weinstein has a gift with words, imagery, characters, and story.

[Catherine (Cat) Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am mad at this book. I was so engaged and got every detail of young Bud's childhood- yet- the final chapter left us wondering. Brilliant and then.... I need more!

[Jill Ann Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Hardscrabble Road, and I highly recommend it to Goodreads Readers. Buddy’s story is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming and the characters he meets are memorable. This is a ‘coming of age” story set in 1930’s and 1940’s rural Georgia, where everyone is “rich in dirt and dirt poor.” No one seems able to escape these circumstances. Buddy, at age six, has already witnessed enough school bullies, crooked cops, cheaters, and drunks to sense the chains of poverty and ignorance. Additionally burdened with a scarlet birthmark that dominates one side of his face and believing that his father found him in a “gopher hole” and that he doesn’t belong anywhere, Buddy does think about how he can grow up and get away. His family experiences are haunting: his mother is immoral and uncompassionate; his father is cruel and abusive. But the community has a few kind people: Miss Wingate, his teacher; Nat, the sharecropper; Jerry, the bread truck driver; and Mr. Clemmons, the bus driver, to name a few; who give Buddy enough faith in him that he can eventually give himself “the gift of courage “to find his way. The book is appropriately titled; but it is also uplifting.