"The Family Stone is an exquisitely written family chronicle surrounding the owners of Willie's Market, Abraham and Winona Stone. Set in the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement, Willie's Market is the nucleus where family, friends, adversaries, and old lovers converge. Filled with humor, sadness, love and tragedy, the characters will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. Highly recommended. I purchased this book directly from the publisher." -- Leona Grieve (Goodreads)

  

“The Family Stone by author Michael R. Lane, is really an amazing book. It is a modern day look back, almost as if through some time machine, into the lives and personal struggles of people trying to make a living during the days of the civil rights movement. Its main setting is a neighborhood store called Willie’s Market, and the story that blooms from that setting is just wonderful.

     The book is predominantly dialog, and the dialects and attitudes in the conversations are absolutely amazing. The reader will feel that they are back there in that old market, or at least at a Broadway play about such a place. The characters are as ‘real’ as they could be.

     As a onetime owner of a small country store, I was able to empathize with the owners of Willie’s Market more than I can relate here.

     This book is somewhat of an ‘adult’ nature, and as such portrays many adult situations. I would not recommend it for young teens, but adults will love it, and will grow to appreciate the time in which this story took place. Before the age of the megastore, such small corner stores and local markets fed and clothed the people of our country.

     I am happy with my purchase, would buy this book again, and do recommend it to an adult audience.” -- George (Amazon)