Barefooted: Spontaneous Reflections of a Southern Woman

Barefooted: Spontaneous Reflections of a Southern Woman showcases bits and pieces of Golding’s life in poetry and prose. Returning to her roots, the author moves from tobacco farm life in Rockingham County into marriage, parenting and a cosmopolitan career, then glides into active retirement. The collection’s title, Barefooted, is inspired by the honesty in a line from John Greenleaf Whittier’s poem, “The Barefoot Boy,” where Whittier refers to shoes as the “prison cells of pride.”

The author’s poetry reveals both the “beauty” and the “beast” of the Southland, while her narratives reflect a distinct variety of personal experiences. Golding says, “As a mother and grandmother, my roots, career and family have provided enough fodder to reach into my heart and soul for memories to pen forever.”