h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I haven't read many of Carter's books, but my discussion group read "An hour before daylight." It was reassuring to read that Carter played with local black kids. In those days he had to refrain from this after a certain age, but I gather that they knew he was still their friend.

I've seen cartoons in which Carter gets to heaven, and the first thing he asks Saint Peter is "How can I help you?"

I wouldn't be a bit surprised.

I'm reading 'An Hour Before Daylight' right now. Carter was roughly contemporary with my dad, who also grew up in the South on a farm. I am fascinated by the similarities and differences in their experiences because they lived in different regions and frankly, the Carters were better-off economically than my dad's family, who owned their own land but could never have hired help.

Another thing my dad and Jimmy Carter had in common was that compulsion to make themselves useful.