“A Place to Rest” by Tom Miller

A Place to Rest

Tom Miller
Legacy Book Press LLC (2022)
ISBN: 978-1734798692
Reviewed by Kathy Stickles for Reader Views (10/2023)

“A Place to Rest” by Tom Miller is an absolutely wonderful book that I could not put down once I started. It is apparent from the beginning of the story that this author put a lot of effort into researching the period the book covers as well as the development of each of the characters in the story.  I was very impressed with every part of the writing and think that it is a story for anyone, regardless of the genre that you are most partial to.

“A Place to Rest” is the story of best friends learning to live in the South during a time that is changing daily as the Civil Rights Movement comes to the forefront of everyone’s lives. Mildred Morgan and Janet Bell grew up together in Alabama and went off to college together. They remain friends even after they go in their own directions after graduation, which is impressive as these two women honestly have almost nothing in common.

Mildred leaves college and returns to their small hometown in Alabama to become the librarian at the high school. Mildred is a very quiet woman who comes home and marries another teacher, and they start their family. She is the picture of a woman who is on the earth to take care of her family and not make waves. When her husband suddenly disappears, Mildred becomes a woman who relies on her young son to be her emotional support and in the process ends up becoming a bit smothering of him as he tries to grow up and become more independent.

Janet, on the other hand, is a very outspoken woman who moves to the state capital and becomes a reporter, eventually covering the Civil Rights Movement and winning a Pulitzer Prize. Janet is a strong and independent character who is very brave and tackles subjects and situations that are fraught with danger. These characters are so very different and yet their friendship remains a huge part of both of their lives.

Regardless of the different paths the characters have taken in their lives and the distance between them, “A Place to Rest” is a story of their enduring friendship and support of each other as they try to find a way to survive their places in the world. The best part of the book by far is the way the author puts it on paper. The story is told only through their personal letters to each other going back and forth. In this way, the reader learns all about what is going on in both of their lives and I felt it was a very creative way to put the book together. 

Tom Miller has written a riveting story about life in the late 1940s and early 1950s which was a tragic period for so many in the South. The book is very well-written and keeps the reader engaged from the first to the last page. In addition, both female protagonists in the story are extremely well-developed and very real. The reader easily comes to care for both women as we watch their successes and their struggles in life. There are so many actual events as well as glimpses of real-life activists woven into this story that it is also a way of learning more about a time that most of us were not part of.  The historical research that is shown in the story is excellent and only adds more to the plot of the book.

I would highly recommend “A Place to Rest” by Tom Miller to everyone out there. It is a story that keeps the reader involved throughout and I can assure you it is one that you will not want to put down. I really look forward to what this author has for us in the future. I have become a huge fan. 5 Stars!