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Tom Belfast becomes a "man for all seasons" (i.e., one who has the courage of his convictions and keeps to those convictions) and Campfires of Cracker Tom tells the story of this remarkable person and his fascinating lifetime odyssey. Tom, a descendant of Scots-Irish settlers, came to coastal Georgia and helped carve out a unique culture. The story follows his trail and numerous campsites, examines his values, contradictions and failures. But its major focus is on his insatiable itch to right wrongs and contribute to a more just society. In sum, the story is about a man who has tried to keep alive what was, and what could be, good in the world. The book opens with an historical retrospective of Coastal Georgia, from the early Spanish and French explorers and English settlers, through the rise and fall of the rice plantations, and finally to the early days of the boisterous Scots-Irish "Crackers." The story of Tom Belfast begins on the eve of the Great Depression and recounts early vivid recollections and tales in the lost town of Bethany, Riceboro, Sterling, and Savannah, Georgia. Tagged "Cracker Tom" at an early age, he later learned that the term "Cracker" was first applied to forebears by admiring Carolinians. Taking pride in the nickname as a marker of ethnicity, he would in time learn that "Cracker Tom" was also the name of a creek and elevated bluff up McQueen's Inlet on St. Catherine's Island, Georgia. As an adolescent, Tom recalls wartime Savannah through the streets and pool halls. Dropping out of high school, he wanders aimlessly for two years and then, at seventeen, enlists in the Marines. Arriving back in Savannah after his hitch, he falls in love. Moriah, a country girl herself, becomes his lifetime anchor. They wed on the day Truman declares war on North Korea. Within three months, he is recalled to service abroad. Tom returns from service with a thirst for learning and a deep commitment for making the world a better place. After extensive formal education, Tom's many campfires unfold for him, including a missionary stint in Ghana, being a college educator and having unusual college leadership roles, becoming a business entrepreneur, and suffering the transition through life-threatening health concerns. In each of these campfires, Tom shares explicitly his unique and enlightening perspectives on the people, places, circumstances and ensuing situations. The last campfire has Tom returning to his "Cracker Tom" fishing drop in front of St. Catherine's Island, basking in the solitude and sun and being thankful for being alive and in such a special place.

Eighty short stories by a master of the genre O. Henry's comic eye and unique, ironic approach to life's realities are unmatched. These stories—about con men and tricksters and "innocent" deceivers, about fate, luck, and coincidence—have delighted generations of readers. Set in New York and the West, in Central America and the South, they demonstrate O. Henry's mastery of speech and place, and highlight his appreciation of life's quirks. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Grandpa Tom's Tales for Around the Campfire is a collection of over forty original and family-friendly short stories that will captivate and entertain! Ideal for a campfire get-together, in a tent with family or friends, or huddled in a warm cozy room in your house. Each tale is long enough to have a fascinating plot yet brief enough for those with short attention spans. You will find suspense, humor, irony, and fright within these fables of ghosts, creatures, and strange accounts!