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Kelly Stone Gamble is the USA Today bestselling author of They Call Me Crazy, Call Me Daddy, Call Me Cass, and Ragtown. She teaches Humanities at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Reviewed by Alma Boucher for Readers' Favorite
Ragtown by Kelly Stone Gamble is an excellent historical novel. Helen resides in one of the labor camps alongside the families of the dam employees, attempting to survive the difficulties of the Great Depression. Helen is by herself after her father passes away. She resolves to reject society's expectations of a young woman and build her version of the American dream in this harsh environment although marriage, prostitution, or starvation seem to be her only realistic options. To find the father of his sister's child, Ezra Deal brought his sister to Nevada. When Ezra's sister and the baby die, he has no further obligations. When Ezra finds out that his friend Helen needs assistance, he is forced to choose between aiding Helen and maintaining his independent lifestyle.
Ragtown by Kelly Stone Gamble describes a young woman’s hardships while the Hoover Dam was being built in the early 1930s. The first phase of the dam's construction, as well as the lives of the men and their families, are completely, precisely, and entertainingly described. The plot was filled with actual historical events from the dam workers' pasts. The author’s notes after each chapter were interesting and insightful, and I enjoyed reading them. The characters were authentic and relatable. I admired Helen’s determination to build her dream in harsh circumstances. The story was engaging and provided insightful information about the social and economic plights of the Great Depression era. It brought home how difficult life was at the time for a significant number of people who lacked many opportunities to improve their situation in life.
