Life Gleanings

"Life Gleanings" by T. J. Macon is a memoir that invites readers into the early life of the author, painting a picture of his world in Virginia during a transformative period in America's history. Macon shares heartfelt memories of growing up as the youngest of ten children at "Fairfield," their family's home by the Chicahominy River, offering a glimpse into the closeness of family, friendly neighbors, and the complex role of slavery within their community. Through Macon's eyes, we see the customs, social dynamics, and political tensions that defined the era, as the narrative unfolds to reveal the daily rhythms of rural Virginia and the changes brewing on the horizon that would soon alter his life and the lives of everyone around him forever with the coming of the Civil War.