Barry Reed

The Innocent Pirate Barry Reed

The Innocent Pirate is set in rural Heard County, Georgia, during the late 1960's. The fictional characters in this book are written using local social color. The country was in civil turmoil as the Vietnam War raged on and many in our society called for the release of patients from mental institutions. During this period, the very social fabric of our country was falling apart as children were increasingly being born outside of marriage or became the victims of broken marriages. The main character, Dewey, is mildly retarded and a victim of social engineering called eugenics, where upon he was denied any hope of having children. At fifteen, he was thrust upon his widower grandfather, Al, who was a retired Navy Chief living on a farm. Dewey befriends a group of children who live in the nearby Robins Nest Trailer Park. Many adventures take place as Dewey spends his first summer on the farm with his grandfather. He becomes an unlikely hero, witness to horrible acts of human destruction, and an unexpected provider of justice. Everyone fourteen to one-hundred years old will enjoy this period classic as it stirs their imagination and old memories.