Borders in Paradise — James White

In Borders in Paradise, James White takes us first to depression-era Southern California, where we are quickly plunged into a setting of palm trees and wealth versus the trials and tribulations of a displaced Texas family. Next, it’s on to the blistering heat of Arizona’s southern border. White has researched both areas and the era well, especially the history of the U.S. Border Patrol and the pre-WWII U.S. Army. And he has brought us a cast of original and believably flawed characters.(Toni Morgan, author of 'Patrimony,' 'Two-Hearted Crossing' and many other books)James White has written a story that sets the stage to capture the myth and glamour of the American West in the years leading up to World War II. Then, with sleight of hand, he lifts the curtain and shows the unvarnished truth behind his characters’ motives and actions. In Borders in Paradise, the reader is treated to memorable scenes that appear to secure us in the nostalgia of a bygone era, yet time and again sets us loose in real life, which is often messy, unpleasant and even violent. Under the surface, the glitz of Hollywood, the grit of the U.S. Border Patrol, and the grind of the U.S. Army on the verge of war are revealed to be more alike than we might imagine.