Telegraph

by Phil Oakley

Telegraph is the story of an amazing American family who set roots in the frontier, first in New Mexico and later in the Texas Hill Country. Their hard work to build a peaceful life alongside the bubbling waters of Little Hatchet Creek and the South Llano River began after the Civil War. Their challenges were formidable, but the newcomers learned to get along with the old residents of their new the Mescalero Apaches, the Comanches and the Tejanos. The family built for themselves and for their new America, but they were horrified as the violent storms of Texas washed away their hard work in furious, boiling floodwater. Their children were beautiful and smart, but the third generation faced eradication from the decadence, drunkenness and violence of Prohibition and the Jazz Age. Telegraph is about American families, then and now. The novel is a gallery of portraits done in prose, a window into the intimate interactions of this special but still representative family. If you enjoy watching The Waltons, Blue Bloods, the West Wing or the elements within The Sopranos that focus on the inner workings of Carmela, Tony, their children and their parents, you should try Telegraph. In literary terms, the family aspects of Telegraph, might call to mind Angela's Ashes, The Thornbirds or John Grisham's A Painted House.

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2014

About the author

Phil Oakley is a writer, educator, filmmaker, journalist and executive. He is the author of nine novels. He began working on his first one in the spring of 1964, while a freshman at The Univer sity of Texas at Austin. That book finally reached publication fifty years later in 2014. In addition to writing, Phil currently works as a paraprofessional educator at Kennedale High School. Previously, he served as Director of the Louisiana Film Commission, was a regional executive of The Walt Disney Company, supervising coverage for ABC News in the southwestern United States and Latin America. He also was an editor/producer for The Dallas Morning News. As a journalist, Phil won national awards from Columbia University, the Radio-Television News Directors' Association and a National Headliners Award. He covered presidents and presidential campaigns, beginning with Lyndon Johnson and extending through the terms of George W. Bush. Phil was born in Austin during the last days of World War II. He lives in Arlington, Texas with his wife, the former Nancy Matens of Baton Rouge. Both are graduates of Louisiana State University. They have two sons and one granddaughter.

Reviews

[Allen Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Telegraph” is an epic in the mold of Larry McMurtry that follows the Oakley family from turn of the century New Mexico into prohibition-era Texas.
For those who like action, there’s plenty of that interspersed throughout the multi-layered character studies that make up the core of the novel. But it’s the humanity of the family and the deft-hand for historic detail that is the real selling point here.
Oakley has imbued his characters with a rare richness and their basic decentness in a world undergoing vast change is all too recognizable. This is a novel for those who like depth-filled characters contemplating on family, time’s passage and hard lessons learned. “Telegraph” is storytelling with heart.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

By turns a thriller, a homespun history of Texas, and a cautionary tale. Powerfully evokes the emotional chords of fear, courage, dedication, love, hate, and loss. Telegraph's characters bring alive seven decades of American history better than most history books. Phil Oakley's plain-spoken writing draws the reader forward relentlessly. Highly recommended.

[Linda Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It really personalized a time in history for me. We forget just how hard life was and what sacrifices people made to "tame the west". I look forward to reading the next book about this family.