About the Book

“A Few Seconds To Live” is a true story by Stan Bailey based on the author’s memories and live interviews going back to just before his third birthday.

He still has vivid personal memories of boarding a train in New Albany, Mississippi, with his mother, Christine Bailey, on their way to Memphis and eventually to Hastings, Nebraska.

In Hastings she joined Stan’s father, Henry Edward Bailey, for the final months of World War II and his ultimate discharge from the Army.

Stan tape-recorded interviews with his father and mother in 1993 and later to verify the accuracy of the great bulk of the material in this book. He later transcribed the tapes into a 159-page manuscript.

Following Sgt. Henry Edward Bailey’s military service, he and Christine and Stan lived on a small farm north of Vardaman, Mississippi, where Stan suffered a litany of health problems, including a life-threatening tractor accident.

The flood of memories during and after those days reflect from the inside what life was like in rural North Mississippi “after the war.”

The front and back covers of the book are photocopies of original oil paintings by the author. The dark, drab colors represent the dimness of life without electricity – except for the kerosene lamp and fireplace, the sole source of light and heat.

The scenes depict Christine making a chocolate cake and Edward sitting in a platform rocker with Stanley between his knees in front of the fire place – his favorite memories.