Jimmy Carter's An Hour Before Daylight; A Review

Memories of a Rural Boyhood –The Former President's 2001 Memoir

Nov 1, 2009

Highly recommended, Former President Jimmy Carter's memoir candidly recalls his childhood. The book serves as a vital document of growing up in depression-era Georgia.

Published in October 2001, former President Jimmy Carter’s autobiography is an enjoyable read, and it is clear the former president has a knack for storytelling. Memories of a Rural Boyhood is heartily recommended for all ages. Before reading Carter's biography, consider visiting Plains, Georgia, the birthplace of the former President if possible.

President Carter and Plains, Georgia

Folks can take a mini tour of the author’s boyhood home, as well as several other landmarks mentioned in the book, including the Plains General Store. Attending Sunday school at Marantha Baptist Church, where President Carter serves as the official Sunday school teacher when not traveling, is another revelatory option. Therefore, when reading the book, those shared experiences will make the book’s setting become more vivid, instead of locked away into a bygone era.

Growing Up During the Great Depression

From the opening pages, the Jimmy Carter painted a landscape of growing up in depression-era Georgia. Surrounded by family and friends, the former president recounted numerous anecdotes concerning his early childhood. Sometimes, when reading an autobiography, this reviewer will immediately skip over sections dealing with the author’s childhood, deeming those areas inconsequential or uninteresting. However, that was not the case while reading this work.

Luckily, the former president has the ability to transport his readers to another era, an ability which few individuals possess. The author displayed a plethora of knowledge throughout each book chapter, sometimes overpowering the reader with regard to lengthy descriptions of daily farm chores.

Agriculture and Small-Town Life

In most chapters, President Carter constantly reiterated his respect for the soil. Like farmers in the present day, depression-era farmers realized that bountiful crops would occur only through proper soil management. The author also continually praised his family, especially his parents.

However, while discussing his father, President Carter led the reader to believe that some issues between he and his father were never properly resolved. For example, his father never seemed to commend the author upon completion of a job well done, a point which the author mentions repeatedly.

Several parts of the book were especially enjoyable. Whenever the former President related stories concerning the gossip generated by the residents of his hometown, a smile will likely creep across the reader’s face. If the reader comes from a small rural community, the many fanciful tales that are generated by local residents will ring true.

Southern Politics and Religion

Chapters dealing with politics during Carter’s boyhood were also interesting, especially since the author later entered that arena. In a chapter entitled “Learning About Sin,” the reader may expect to learn some juicy details about the author’s early years. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Other sections presented how well the author weaved together the various religious denominations of that era by offering humorous commentary concerning each denomination’s stringent guidelines.

Rosalyn Carter

As the book progresses, the reader may wonder why the former president failed to mention his first encounter with his wife Rosalyn. He said she was a close neighbor of the family, yet he never went into any detail of how their proximity as neighbors culminated into a fifty-plus year marriage.

In contrast, hired workers living on the Carter farm received detailed pages of interesting memories from the author. While enlightening, the book would have been even better if the president had touched upon the moment when they realized they were meant for each other.

Race Relations in the South

The president also never failed to constantly reiterate his feelings for prejudice. As a child who spent much of his time with African Americans, it is only fair that the author confirmed his feelings for the terrible segregation that occurred during that time. However, as a seasoned politician, the president’s comments about racial segregation sometimes made it appear that he was preaching to a choir of African American Democratic voters.

As the book reached its final chapter, an all-too brief discussion of President Carter’s navy years was mentioned. The former President stated that much had changed in Plains during his tenure in the military, yet it would have been interesting for him to have gone into greater detail. Consequently, the ending of the book seemed rushed and incomplete.

Highly Recommended

An Hour Before Daylight is recommended to anyone interested in the history of the ex-president’s early childhood. Also, the book presents an outstanding and vital portrayal of Southern life during the early part of the twentieth century.

After completing the book, the reader will gain an intimate knowledge into a president’s inner thoughts. For those readers who had close relationships with their grandparents, reading the book will likely trigger the many stories and life lessons they may have taught. The biography reinforces the sincere, humble, and devoted individual this reviewer met in Plains, Georgia, six years ago on a beautiful Sunday morning.

The copyright of the article Jimmy Carter's An Hour Before Daylight; A Review in Biographies/Memoirs is owned by Jeremy Roberts. Permission to republish Jimmy Carter's An Hour Before Daylight; A Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.