White Lightning: Truth Is a Powerful Elixir

by Minton Sparks

A bizarre inheritance starts one woman down a path of self-discovery.When Mary Wallace's grandmother, Jebo, dies, her will says that Mary will received a set of four diaries. But the box Mary receives only contains three, and notes begin to arrive in the mail with instructions on how she can retrieve the missing one. Jebo has been an enigma to Mary during her life, but the diaries and the poems contained in them allow her to become a mentor to Mary after her death. Prior to receiving the diaries, Mary's life was falling apart. Her marriage was a disaster and she was going nowhere. But by following the circuitous path laid out for her by Jebo's diaries, Mary is finally able to reclaim her voice and her place in the world.

Genres: Fiction

137 pages, Hardcover

First published February 29, 2000

Reviews

[Allison Pickett · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick and simple read. I appreciated the overall message of the book (truth is a powerful elixir), but missed out on a lot of character development and weight to the storyline. It wasn't bad. Reading White Lightning felt like reading a short story in a magazine.

[Amber Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been feeling very nostalgic lately. Mostly longing for my childhood and trying to remember the important people in my life who have passed, especially my Mommaw Lona.

This book is loosely based on Minton Sparks' childhood experience of growing up in the South (Tennessee).

The main character is very close to her grandmother, and finds her true self with the help of her grandmother Jebo.

It is extremely short and to the point, but was refreshing to read. I felt like I was able to remember my own grandmother and the lessons she taught me from reading this book.

The story really brought about a sense of peace, especially relating to dysfunctional family relationships.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not my type of book and I did not enjoy it. While I think the concept of the story was good, I do not feel it was told even remotely to the degree it could have been. The characters weren't developed the way I would have liked and the storyline not at all intriguing. I couldn't even appreciate the style of writing. Not one I'd recommend. As short as the book was, I couldn't will myself to read it in one day.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

White Lightning was an okay book. The beginning was boring, and parts of it were confusing. It also felt like there was a lot of detail let out of the story that should have been there. For a short read, it wasn't horrible.

[Minetta Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a Minton Sparks fan having seen her perform at the Tejas Storytelling Festival. This book includes many of the poems she presented there. Her family can be complicated but compelling. She speaks truth which is sometimes hard to read but as she says, "It's who we are." The poems are powerful.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and poignant, I loved this glimpse into what made Jebo tick and how her love for her family shone through in her legacy to Penny Sue.

[Weezie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very excited to find almost all of my favorite Minton Sparks' poems in this book! Minton's voice is clear even in writing.