The Monument Maker

by Ronald S. Joseph

Can anyone tell a story about a rich old Texan who tries like a pharaoh to build a monument to ward off mortality, his intended -- a lightheaded but dear, religiously disoriented young girl, a rapacious and embezzling sister who tries to get her brother judged giddy and thereby gain control of his money, be serious? Probably not. This is one of the most raucous, funy, and improbable situations in fiction. But warm? Yes. Beautiful? Yes.
Ronald Joseph writes with a sharp eye for vivid colors and a heart as big as Texas. The story, like the hero, is rich and the suspense is real. It's the kind of book to allow time for; it can't be put down.
(from the flyleaf)

229 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Debra Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess that when THE MONUMENT MAKER appeared on the local library shelf that it was the cover that grabbed me. The flamboyant, quirky, detailed drawing of a one-eyed geezer in a ten gallon hat, and girl who was all eyes and hair (don't forget the crucifix and praying hands), standing in front of a silver stretch automobile with a yellow cat peering over the dash, in front a pyramid, in front of a windmill and cactus pulled me in with a story that promised to be every bit as colorful -- and it was. For some reason, this book has become obsolete, perhaps because the times have changed. The current generation doesn't tolerate well old geezers who throw a fortune into a monument to himself and the religious wistfulness of Noelia flies right over their heads. But underneath the bad choices of spending and the questionable choice of a wife, this story lived and breathed to the beat of an unlikely love that thumbed its nose at mortality, to the many-chambered and whorled human heart. I was young when I read this tale of old age facing down its end, and now I'm closer in age to Wyatt than I am to Noelia, and I still love it.
I will upload a scan of the cover if goodreads allows that. I do not find it online anywhere.

[Lin Lin]

Daniel does not do well in academics as his teacher and parents would have expected, but he shows immense interests in arts. Learning the basic skills in painting and sculpting, he eventually becomes the monument maker for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. This is a thoughtful book to remind teachers and parents that children have talents and interests in different things. Support and encouragement are the best for their success and satisfaction.