On a gray December morning, seven year old Hadley Carlyle watched the tears trickle down his father’s face as they drove home from Old Man Jenkinson’s foreclosure auction. Over the last few years, hard times had fallen upon the farming industry and foreclosures were common. This one was different, however, because it marked the beginning of a spineless corruption that would spread its venom throughout the area’s farming community for many years to come. An unscrupulous banker named Albert Finken, dubbed The Fink by most everyone in the community, performed his first wretched act on Old Man Jenkinson’s homestead and in doing so, gained an insatiable thirst for power which would prove to devastate the future livelihood of the area farmers.
After gaining much wealth as a successful petroleum engineer, Alec Carlyle returned to his roots by moving his family from a comfortable lifestyle in the city back to the rural countryside, near the hometown where he was raised. The Carlyle family entered the area in hopes of finding a simpler life. Their dream was altered, however, when Alec witnessed the gavel fall during Old Man Jenkinson’s foreclosure. The moment was so strong that it compelled Alec to assist the starving farmers, which ultimately led him and his family into a life of farming and ranching.
Over the course of ten years, young Hadley watches the slow deterioration of his family’s finances, caused by Al Finken’s unethical banking practices. As the story unravels, Hadley discovers that The Fink is not only involved in underhanded banking but also drugs, bribery, and murder. The family’s future looks grim by the time Hadley reaches his senior year in high school. Faced with the horrors of foreclosure, Alec refuses to heed the advice of his family and financial consultants, who advise him to declare bankruptcy. Instead, he stands firm on his self-imposed moral obligations, which demand that he repay his debt. His refusal to acknowledge the sensible solution creates much conflict in the family.
As the inevitable foreclosure looms near, each day brings Al Finken closer to destroying the Carlyle ranch. Hadley helplessly watches the tension mount as Alec’s old-school principles are exploited by the banker, which ultimately pushes his father over the edge. Wrapped in this struggle is Hadley’s quest to understand not only the cause and solution of his family’s problems, but also his father’s ideals.
When The Levee Breaks uniquely articulates the torment of a dying breed, the independent American farmer, as told by a voice from within the family. The novel illustrates the crippling wrath of money, greed, and most importantly, an innocent boy’s journey into a treacherous adult world.
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