CHERRYDALE by Dean Simpson Phillips
In the 1920s and 1930s, Cherrydale appeared to be a sleepy village across the river from the nation’s capital. People with simple needs seemed to pleasantly go about the business of living and lazing against a backdrop of colorful gardens, cooling breezes, front porch swings, and the chatter of some who had witnessed the Civil War and others who had just been born into a more serene world.
Actually, Cherrydale was ablaze with coots, characters and kids who made living there adventurous, thrilling, humorous and, at times, dangerous.
Cherrydale follows the life of Les Phillips from toddler to the beginning of WWII. With his buddies, he would challenge authority, take risks for kicks, prank his way into legend, and with only a nickel in his pockets, find ways to realize his dream.
His path would cross a thieving killer, Babe Ruth, quacks, a Peeping Tom, gypsies, a crazed turkey, and rivals from nearby villages, to name just a few.
Les’ young life created a dynamic, ever-hopeful man, but it wasn’t a life without pain. He lived in a world separated by race and class, and a world that was often cruel to those who were limited. Losing his mother when he was only 14, Les was left to deal with an indifferent flimflam father, the tragic deaths of his two best friends, and a struggle to win the love of a beautiful Cherrydale girl.
Supporting him through the heartbreak and hijinks was a grandfather who loved Les like a son, and a brave and brilliant Collie who was at Les’ side for 19 years.
In twenty-one crisp chapters, Cherrydale reintroduces Les Phillips and a cast of characters from a bygone era that was far from perfect, but remains immensely compelling. Cherrydale is a touching and uplifting ode to villages and towns that dotted the country only eighty and ninety years ago; a time and place worth revisiting.
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING
“Dean Phillips writes wonderfully and uniquely, his words and phrasing conjuring up images that will last a lifetime. Indeed, his story is a metaphor for hundreds of Cherrydales across the country that experienced their final day in the sun.” Author, Richard Adams
“Dean Phillips magnificently resurrects the golden age of small town charm when doors didn’t need locks, porch swings swayed with a boy and his dog – or teenagers in love – and neighbors were, mostly, neighborly.” Communication Professor Robert Larson, North Carolina State University
“Read and weep with joy.” Dr. Jim Clark, English Professor Emeritus, North Carolina State University
ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF CHERRYDALE Dean Simpson Phillips is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Communication at North Carolina State University. A multiple winner of the Department's outstanding teacher award, Phillips began teaching after a long, award winning career as a television newscaster, followed by a career in public relations consulting. Born and raised in Arlington County, Virginia, Phillips lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife Sarah and their dogs, Gibb and Rosie.
