The Land and the People (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781504914475)

A fast moving yarn of the Cox Family and their Catskill Mountain farm on the eve of the agricultural industrial revolution. Well-developed characters take you through a year in the lives of three generations of the Cox family. . Family relationships are rich in detail, the civil war veteran, his father and founder of the family farm Grampa Hobie, the stay at home mother Vera, the rebellious eldest son and others.

Jack explores the issues of rural farm life in the late 19th century. life. Surprisingly similar to those of today they include Man vs Nature, Man vs Man, drought, blizzard, fire, and flood. Pre Woman Suffrage issues such as the right to vote and hold political office are dissected. Health issues of the time apply to the world of today. Post-traumatic stress syndrome and healthcare for the aging are among the health subjects brought to the reader.

Politics, community infrastructure, trade, transportation, and commerce are developed in gripping and believable detail. Introduction of immigrants challenging the status quo provide an unexpected story line and plot leaving the reader in suspense. Stay tuned for part 2, the conclusion.