Smith Mills

by John M. Utley

In the tiny town of Smith Mills, his parents don’t care if he lives or dies. At eight years old, he’s forced to survive on his own. At ten, he buys his own clothes and most of his food. At fourteen, he’s the manager of a service station paying rent to his mother to live with her. He’s kicked down and pushed to the physical thresholds of flesh and bone, always knowing the sting of abandonment. He expects nothing more, and nothing less. In this incredible true story, John Utley proves that hardship forges strength, that success is measured only by cold hard grit in the face of oppression. And, sometimes, our greatest demons can reveal our most powerful virtues. He thought he’d left his hometown for good, but he returns one more time to take you on a trip you’ll never forget. Smith Mills. Some boys are just born tough.

212 pages, Hardcover

Published October 31, 2018

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was interested for about the first half to three quarters of the book, then gave up and skimmed the last few chapters. From the cover art, I expected more of a mystery or crime experience. Then from the prologue, I expected more to that story. Thought the hanging man and the scare he got when he was 11 would all tie together. And always thought he would go back to Smith Mills since that was the chosen title of the book even though he only lived there for the first few years of his life. I miscalculated on all counts. The book is a rehearsal of one man's life experiences from a very early age, some amusing, some sad, some mundane, some smart aleck, always reminding us that he had been abandoned and that he was some kind of tough kid. I couldn't believe he had such a good memory of things that happened to him at age 3 or 4. Thought someone must have helped him remember those experiences, but wrong again. He lost connection with his family at an early age. His stories might have been more particularly interesting to his children over the years. Reading a book about a string of one boy's life's episodes lost its appeal to me. My dad was on his own from age 11, and I heard his sad, funny, sometimes heartbreaking stories, trials, ups and downs over a lifetime, so I do have sympathy for abandoned children. In the more interesting parts of the book, I thought the writing was pretty good. He always ended a chapter on a cliff hanger that made it hard to stop reading. Then once I start another chapter, I have to finish it, then be faced with another surprise at the end of that chapter that begs for more information. Always up the hill and down the hill and up the hill and down the hill. Toward the end of the book though, even that technique couldn't keep my attention. Three stars because it started out promising a good story and the writing was fairly good.

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first my heart was breaking for this poor kid who had gone through so much, just situation after situation that no child should have to deal with, it was almost hard to read. Then at about age 14-15?, it became hard to read because honestly the guy just didn't come off as very likeable(not surprising with his upbringing and I wanted to root for him for a while)and it just became boring to read even though it was filled with interesting things happening to him. Also didn't care for the vague racism and misogyny. I won this in a Goodreads giveaway so for free it wasn't a TERRIBLE read I guess and I did finish it but it isn't something I would recommend to others.

I think this would have been better with help from a seasoned writer because I'm not sure how what should have stayed an interesting life story became so annoying to finish and how someone who really should deserve a lot of sympathy and understanding did not elicit that response for many.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky to win an E-copy of this auto-biography of John Utley from Goodreads. Told in the first person, Utley tells his story of growing up in the late 1940s not only poor but abandoned from his toddler to young adult years. Utley’s challenges are many including poverty, frequent moves, few adult models, and a tarnished reputation. But there is something that the reader likes about this kid—his resilience, self-reliance and his actions as he transitions into adulthood. His life is unimaginable but representative of so many youngsters in poverty. I liked this book and was engaged, reading it quickly. I likes it so much that I purchased the sequel when I was done. As a former educator, it’s interesting to know how some kids who are faced with so many odds become successful.

[Nancy Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

In his conclusion, Utley says, "This is a true story. Some names have been changed although most of the people have passed due to old age or other causes. Though I don't look good in this story, it's an honest appraisal as well as an accurate one."

I'm not sure how accurate it is. It's really hard to believe that all of this happened to one person without him ending up dead or in prison. The author claims again and again throughout this book that he's a good salesman. Is this just another spun tale?

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book gave good insight into the difficulty of children being raised in poverty and subject to the circumstances of bad decisions being made. I credit Mr. Utley for his resourcefulness and ability to survive, adapt and eventually to find a way out through hard work. These messages came through in the book, however, the book read like a sixth grade essay of how I spent my summer vacation. It was just a litany of thoughts and events written like someone having to recount their life and remembering some of the bigger scrapes of growing up.

[Marika Lenee Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book about his life as a teenager with a not so normal home life and the trouble he gets in. Is he going to graduate? Will he be the first in the family with a real future? Will love get in the way? The predicaments he gets himself in makes you want to keep reading for the next part in the book and to understand what is going to happen. He lives in the tiny town of Smith Mills and from a young age is forced to survive on his own. Will he be strong enough to learn and survive in this crazy life that he lives in?

[Thea · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won a download of this book so I wanted to give it a fair shake but it read like a very bad diary. I had great sympathy for the author for most of his life but when he was in high school he turned into a douche bag. I cannot read any more of his self centered existence.

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

He was a survivor of poverty.