In 1956, fifteen-year-old Torie was sent away to have her baby and give it up for adoption.  Fifty years later, the recipes from her mother's cookbook stir up bittersweet memories of the 40s and 50s in a small Texas town, where a tree in the front yard stood in silent witness.  "...She spilled the recipes across the table and the memories fell like leaves, crisp and yellow with age."

Torie reflects on how a family's history could be told in food: Birthday cakes.  Lunch box sandwiches. Thanksgiving turkey. Christmas cookies. Roadside picnics. Funeral casseroles. “...Slowly, careful not to let her tears blur the treasured writing, she began to copy the recipes and gather the memories.”

In the 40s, children shoot cap guns and play hide-and-go-seek, while mothers sit on back porches shelling peas. Chickens are fried in lard, and salt pork is used for seasoning. In the 50s, teenagers dance to rock-and-roll and go to drive-in movies. But Torie is sent away, and when she returns, no one ever talks about it again.

Torie eventually marries and strives to build a happy family, calling on those childhood memories.  After her mother's death, she learns about the lie her father told her when she was 15. 

What happens when Torie finally confronts her father after 50 years?  Does Torie ever learn about the baby that she gave away? How does she manage to turn the stumbling blocks of her past into stepping stones for her future? How does one girl experience the true meaning of grace?

The evocative scenes in The Witness Tree should appeal to baby boomers, the true children of the 40s.  Recipes from those times follow each chapter. 

Available online from Amazon.com at:   http://www.amazon.com/Witness-Tree-Patricia-West-Hays/dp/1453602607/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284664062&sr=1-1