The Edge of Existence:

Life on Dirt Roads

De: Don Betts

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

This book, Edge of Existence, is a sequel to DonBetts book, Three Day Trip (published in July of2020).This story is a work of fiction. The tale, as told, is acompilation of many stories that Don’s father,George Betts, shared with him before his passingmany years ago. Some of the events reallyhappened, not entirely true to time or place, yetare factual in substance. Most of the personalnames of the characters are those Don’s Dadoften mentioned in his stories of Old Florida.This book is set in Old Florida where dedicatedroadways were basically non-existent. Pavementwas found only on urban streets in a few of thelargest towns. Small towns or villages like Arcadia,Pine Level, Sarasota, Old Manatee, andBraidentown had sandy or muddy roads,dependent upon weather conditions.Transportation in those days was on foot orhorseback. Carts, carriages or wagons were pulledby various beasts of burden. Steam locomotivesand railroading were still in the discussion stage.The risks were many. Yet, the quest for landownership and a self-sufficient way of life wassought and enjoyed by more and more families asthe years progressed. That was despite theheartbreaks and losses which were endured bysome.This book focuses on a poor family trying to makea living on the wild Florida frontier. The father andmother, Joe and Aggie, work hard to provide theirfour young boys with food on the table and a roofover their heads. It reminds me of one of theclassic Floridian novels, A Land Remembered, byPatrick D. Smith (published in 1984).