Another rave review for The Yankee Doctor

THE STORY CONTINUES. What a wonderful addition to a wonderful series. Coming of age story writing at its best, November 21, 2010
By D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME) This review is from: The Yankee Doctor (Paperback)
When I read R. Harper Mason's first two books in this series I discovered two things. First, Mason in a natural story teller. Secondly, Mason can write, and he can write well...very, very skillful! This series started with the perfectly charming, funny and insightful Lyin' Like a Dog, and was followed by The Red Scarf. Starting with page one of the first book I was absolutely hooked and hooked well.

All three of the books in this series are one continuous story but I must emphasis that the reader need not read them in sequence as each have been skillfully written so that each is a stand-alone read. Yes, it is nice be begin with the first, but it is certainly not necessary. It will not lesson the reading pleasure one bit.

Briefly, The Yankee Doctor, the book being reviewed here, starts where The Red** leaves off and follows the adventures of Richard Mason and his best friend and constant companion John Clayton Reed as they go through the process of growing up in a small Arkansas town during World War II. The town, Norphlet, Ark. which is just a bit north of El Dorado, (which I have been through many, many times, was pretty typical of the rural village of that era. I grew up in one almost exactly like it a bit to the North.

The plot of this story, something the author has remained true to since book one, entails the arrival in the boy's little home town of a Yankee Doctor and his somewhat "flashy" assistant. The two come from the far north, Connecticut to be exact. The town, having never had a real doctor is quite excited and welcomes their new addition with open arms. The doctor is perfect...instantly a leading citizen and admired by all.

It is not long until Richard and his friend John Clayton overhear a conversation between the new doctor and his assistant which they never should have heard. The doctor is not what he seems and neither is his nurse. The two boys are caught overhearing this conversation, and are threatened. Not one person in the entire town (with the exception of they owner of the local pool hall believes them. The Yankee Doctor is not what he seems, no, no, no...far from it.

The battle of wits between the boys and the doctor is on. It is good verses evil, city verses country, North verses South...we are talking a major moral and culture clash here folks! Their freedom (the treat of reform school), and indeed their very lives are threatened, and the boys fight back as only innovative 12 year old boys can.

To begin with, this book is hilarious. Time and again I found myself laughing out load and was endlessly snickering to myself. The story leaps from page to page without a break and I found myself reading late into the night, not wanting to put the book down until I had "read just one more page."

But despite the shenanigans to the two boys, quite reminiscent of Tom and Huck, this is not necessarily a book strictly for the young (although it is quite appropriate for young readers). No, some very adult themes run though this story.

Richard, like so many of that era, and indeed of our present time, is forced to deal with what might be called a dysfunctional family. He has an alcoholic father; a philandering father, who he loves very much. He is dealing with a long suffering mother who is at her wits end and is having problems coping with her situation. Our Richard, in his own wise way, is trying desperately to save his parents marriage. No, these are adult themes and the author addresses them through the eyes of our 12 year old Richard, whose logic and coping mechanisms are not those of an adult. This is serious stuff folks, but I must say that the author has handled it brilliantly. (A note here: Richard, being a very high spirited young lad, is subjected to quite a number of "switchings." By today's standards, these would be considered beatings; rather severe beatings as a matte of fact. In that day and time, punishment of this sort, which was usually dealt out by the father, were quite common and perfectly acceptable. I certainly went through my share of these sessions and while I would have never in a million years done this to my own children, I was never-the-less no worse for wear in the long run...I suppose.)

The author has sprinkled a plethora of local "characters" throughout this and his past work. These characters will be instantly recognized by anyone who grew up in a small rural town. Mason has stayed absolutely true to all of his characters, both major and minor, throughout...rather amazing actually.
Now the reader who is unfamiliar with the lifestyle of that place and time might cast doubt on some of the high jinks the boys participate in. I can assure you through personal experience that there was not one thing the boys pulled that was unrealistic or one thing that has not been pulled on some level or another by me while growing up. Everything is believable; everything is doable, and has been done...trust me.

I suppose R. Harper Mason can be classified as a regional author. I hate that label in this case because this particular story will have universal appeal no matter the geographical area. It is a wonderful story for my age group who actually grew up at the same time the story takes place, and it is a wonderful story for the young as it gives them a glimpse, a true glimpse, of a way of life that is now gone and will quite likely never return.

This is a great read folks, do yourself a big favor and get copies of this one.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks