The Two Farms

The author of the well-received Apple Tree Lean Down captivates again with a simple narrative that exudes warmth as it depicts the rigors of life in rural Gloucestershire. Two families, one rich, one struggling, vie for control of the verdant valley. John Sutton, his manor at Peele and his modern farming testament to his success, appears the imminent victor. Across the river, at Godsakes, Morris Riddlet indentures himself and his family to the unproductive farm. With the arrival of Jim, an urchin raised to the status of quasi-son by the Suttons, the fortunes of Godsakes change radically. Jim's arranged marriage to Riddlet's daughter not only blossoms into love, but raises the reader's expectations for a sequel. Reader's Digest Condensed Books selection. February 5