In late January, 1971, eighteen-year-old Becky Decker reported for her first day of work at Byerley State Hospital and School, a state-run institution spoken of mostly in whispers. She hoped to make friends, and to "make a difference" in her very first job. What she found during that week was a world of heartbreak and hope in a universe that no longer exists.Kathleen Taylor is one of the best storytellers around. The Nut Hut is a total-immersion into the 1971 world of residential care for the mentally retarded. It is ruthlessly honest, but at the same time extraordinarily moving. A totally captivating novel that will draw you in and not let you out until the last page is read.Denise Swanson--New York Times Bestselling Author of the Scumble River and Devereaux's Dime Store seriesThe Nut Hut is a chilling tale about the cold heart of state institutions. A smart, insightful novel, it’s full of more truths than any ten works of nonfiction and way more entertaining. Reed Farrel Coleman, three-time Shamus Award-winning author of Gun ChurchKathleen Taylor's brilliant novel "The Nut Hut" takes the reader on a harrowing trip inside a state institution for people with mental disabilities, circa 1971. Through young Becky Decker's baptism of fire -- her first week on the job -- we explore Byerley State Hospital with the eyes of an innocent. Our appreciation for the workers and the patients and their day-to-day dance of survival grows along with Becky's own. By the end, we're confident that she -- and we -- have a better understanding of them all. Highly recommended."--Steve Brewer, author of the Bubba Mabry mysteriesA sweeter, less caustic version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the Nut Hut by Kathleen Taylor is the story of attendant Becky Decker’s first week in a mental institution during the early 1970’s. Still, the story retains a bite. The prose is velvety smooth, and the sharp characterizations make for a fast, unputdownable read. I recommend it highly, if only to remind those of us who are not impaired how blessed we really are. Libby Fischer Hellmann, author of A BITTER VEIL
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