Strange Fruit is a captivating story of two very different cousins, who, in a series of absorbing scenes spanning twenty years, despite their mutual differences, grow ever closer to, and more dependent on, each other. The story of Jason Ayers is told by his cousin whom he met in childhood. Claudia Adams, a spirited girl from Reading, PA., never forgets the summer spent with her little cousin Jason who so profoundly influenced her life. A poor child of illiterate parents, Jason’s boyhood is spent avoiding his dad and protecting his mother who tries to wrest a living from the cotton fields of Mississippi. Though in later years Jason suffers betrayal and desertion, through all the hardships of his life he preserves a valor of spirit that no hardship can daunt or break. However, when Claudia sees him again after many years, she finds him overwhelmed by life. Strange Fruit is a deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope. Claudia, perhaps because she has grown, learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship—and forgiveness—can sneak up on you like a sudden winter storm. She reminds readers to open their eyes to the wonder and miracle found in the simple act of forgiving.
