In The Back Road To Thurber, Leo Bielinski looks through the eyes of ethnic immigrants to tell the story of life in a Texas coal mining town. The story is based in part on actual events, and those who know Thurber, Texas, will recognize it immediately as the setting. In Bielinski's novel, Thurber becomes the stage upon which Italian, Polish, and other immigrants come face to face with the realities of life in America. Through flashbacks, The Back Road To Thurber covers the period from the late 19th to late 20th century - a tumultuous era of boom and bust for many towns like Thurber.