Lay Down My Sword and Shield - (Holland Family Novel) by James Lee Burke (Paperback)

About the Book

Burke, a rare winner of two Edgar Awards and named Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America, returns with a compelling portrait of contemporary Texas and a man caught up in its politics.

Book Synopsis

Vintage James Lee Burke: The first novel introducing the memorable Texas sheriff Hackberry Holland, coming of age against the backdrop of the civil rights era in a sultry border town.

In hot and sultry Texas, Hack, an attorney and Korean War POW, is being pushed by his wife, his brother, and his so-called friends in the oil business to run for political office. But Hack would prefer to drink, look after his beloved horses, and represent the occasional long-shot pro bono case at his law firm. When Hack attempts to overturn a conviction for an old army buddy, he finds himself embroiled in the seamy underbelly of the Texas patronage system--and in the earliest beginnings of the United Farm Workers movement, led by a beautiful woman who speaks to his heart in a way no one else has. As Hack begins to bring justice to the underserved, he finds both a new love and a new purpose.

With his skillful blend of engaging plotlines, compelling characters, and graceful prose, James Lee Burke demonstrates the shimmering clarity of vision that has made him beloved by suspense fans all over the globe.

From the Back Cover

From the best-selling author of Sunset Limited, now available in mass market: a classic tale of a man haunted by memories of the Korean War, the ancestors he was named after, and the man he used to be.

Hack Holland's a hard drinker, a lawyer, and a wealthy progressive Democrat. He's also a disillusioned man, running a half-hearted campaign for a Texas congressional seat. But when his efforts to help an old war buddy culminate in his unwitting involvement in a civil rights conflict, Hack finds himself rebuilding his life.

Review Quotes

"Burke writes popular fiction that is so well crafted, so well written, and so intelligent that it soars above other fiction of its type into the realm of high art".

-- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

About the Author

James Lee Burke is a New York Times bestselling author, two-time winner of the Edgar Award, and the recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts in Fiction. He has authored forty novels and two short story collections. He lives in Missoula, Montana.