LCC graduate publishes first book at 88
Tom Gilfoy, a 1952 graduate of Lassen Community College’s forestry program, has published a new book entitled, “Growing Up In Sunland and Other Short Stories.” The hardcover book, with dust jacket and historical pictures, is a collection of mostly light-hearted, adventurous stories from Gilfoy’s youth, including two memoirs from his early days working as a logger in the woods of Sierra and Lassen counties. One of the memoirs describes the two summers he worked at one of the last logging camps in California. Known to all simply as Camp 10, this legendary, rough and tumble camp was located near Eagle Lake.
When asked why he waited until he was so old to publish his first book, Gilfoy said it was out of deference to his friends and relatives. This way, Tom explained, “they won’t have to worry about my living long enough to write another book and making them read it too.”
Advance praise for the book includes this quote from best-selling author and former editor of the Los Angeles Times editorial pages, Jim Newton: “What a marvelous and loving account of a California that now feels at the edge of memory. Tom Gilfoy has recreated a time and place, and done so with a keen eye and sharp wit that would make Mark Twain proud … particularly moved by the section describing Tom’s time in the logging camps.”
The Little Landers Historical Society in Tujunga, California has been given exclusive sales rights to the book, and it is to them that all income from sales of this first edition is being donated. Books may purchased at their website: (boltonhall.square.site/).