Gary Strankman

Fireflies and Courage Gary Strankman

This is a tale of a village life in its primal innocence. The author takes the reader on a journey to a place few know well and even fewer of those who do have the ability to bring to life. Her poetic descriptions of rural life in the tropical jungle of the Philippine Islands during the middle of the Twentieth Century paint a world of color, yet darkness; of violence, yet peace; of pain, yet love; of terror, yet joy. She captures the thoughts and emotions of a young girl filled with wonder at her world. The terror of a night time walk in the jungle alone, the pain of a missing parent, the conflicts of a community, the love of her mother complicate and enrich her world. Her word pictures of her unique experiences provide a window of endless fascination for the person who enjoys the vistas of a seldom seen place. The reader is left hoping that she will add to her account and share how this gifted child in an enclosed and far off land came to achieve her level of sophisticated storytelling