I just finished listening to this book on Audible. I believe sometimes we find things by happenstance that we didn’t know we needed. I needed this book. Thank you for writing it.
Beautifully written. Beckie is my cousin's MIL and my parents grew up knowing Jean & Richard. Thanks for telling their incredible survival story. I bought a kindle copy but may have to get it in print to slip in copies of the pictures still in the family. Amazing story.
Just finished the book. I can see, I think why self publishing might be the best way for you here.
I have one factual error I noticed about Bobby's telling of the ball game, when their dad took them along while he played, and ordered them to wait in the car.
Bobby's telling notes that the stands quieted down when the game stopped for halftime.
Baseball games, of course, don't have halftimes.
When Bobby's narration of the first wagon ride out of town begins to discuss the leather rigging of all the mules' harnesses, there is a notice of the well oiled leather being lubricated by the working mules' sweat. The straps are described as "lugubrious", an adjective I have never heard applied to an inanimate object. I had a grandmother my family used to dump me on as a four and five year old, both to keep me watched and to keep me company. She was a constant whiner and so lugubrious nobody wanted to be around her. My own father had died on my third birthday in a tragic plane crash, in a plane he piloted, taking 33 souls with him, her brother had drowned in the river, she had suffered so many losses and she never missed the chance to remind every ear of her continued misery.
My own household as a youth was beset by violence, fear, and loathing, but the neglect and the cruelty of that family were more than surprising.
I will recommend your book to others but with lots of warnings.
Jim, thank you so much for this. I can't believe I did that with the baseball.....I'll get that fixed as soon as possible. I had to do some research on lugubrious. I found this: "The most common uses of the word characterize people who are feeling downcast, but it can also indicate that an inanimate object is depressing or in some other way inspires feelings of hopelessness. For example, an excessively dreary philosophy about life could be called lugubrious, as could the charred remains of a burned-down apartment building." Still, I think you're right that another word would fit better in that situation. Also, I'm very sorry about the terror you experienced as a child. I wish that had not happened. Thank you for reading the book & for recommending it to others. And thank you again for these corrections.
I am always and forever amazed and wonderstruck by the resilience of humans of all ages. A tender and touching, beautifully written telling of the tale of this family. I have had close acquaintance of only a handfull of people who in their 80s and beyond were still unreconciled to the lack of love from a parent. There is no way I can imagine how a family of children can emerge into an adult life after having been tossed out. Ever grateful.
Chapter 10, second sentence (in the Kindle version) it reads “they children” which I think is meant to read “the children”
A Powerful read. I’ve spent many a weekend off Loving road. I have a friend who lives just outside Morganton on 50 beautiful acres I would like to share this book with. She is approaching 80 years and I wonder if she is familiar with this story.
Ohhh..I’ve have wished for some time you would write in fiction…I’ve heard some stories about that institution and not so nice ones, too. I’ll be happy to review it for Southern Literary Review and post to Amazon and Goodreads.
I cannot wait to read this. It reminds me of my first story I ever loved that was read to me as a child. The Box Car Children, but this true, and set in the mtns of North Ga.
Anita, in 2nd grade my teacher, Ms. Elizabeth Dunn, read The Boxcar Children out loud to me. In turn, I've read it to my two children. It is one of my favorite YA books of all time. You and I are so similar in so many ways.
twins in diff geographical places. My place was Tennessee.....or wherever my father landed with me and my sister......it's a story Ill tell you someday.
I know, twins kind of! I will be traveling down to visit Alec this coming Sunday and will stay maybe most of week, will stay in touch, to visit you on the way back to Athens mid to late next week?
I want to order direct from you, Janisse! I looked on your website and don't see it but I'm also particularly thick today so maybe I just missed it....
I'm going to do this too once I figure it out....but it was on Kindle Unlimited so I started reading tonight and now on Chapter 9, I'd like to sacrifice my whole night to read it. I won't because it's been a challenging enough month but it is SO GOOD.
I just finished listening to this book on Audible. I believe sometimes we find things by happenstance that we didn’t know we needed. I needed this book. Thank you for writing it.
That's a lovely thing to hear. Thank you, Heather.
Beautifully written. Beckie is my cousin's MIL and my parents grew up knowing Jean & Richard. Thanks for telling their incredible survival story. I bought a kindle copy but may have to get it in print to slip in copies of the pictures still in the family. Amazing story.
Just finished the book. I can see, I think why self publishing might be the best way for you here.
I have one factual error I noticed about Bobby's telling of the ball game, when their dad took them along while he played, and ordered them to wait in the car.
Bobby's telling notes that the stands quieted down when the game stopped for halftime.
Baseball games, of course, don't have halftimes.
When Bobby's narration of the first wagon ride out of town begins to discuss the leather rigging of all the mules' harnesses, there is a notice of the well oiled leather being lubricated by the working mules' sweat. The straps are described as "lugubrious", an adjective I have never heard applied to an inanimate object. I had a grandmother my family used to dump me on as a four and five year old, both to keep me watched and to keep me company. She was a constant whiner and so lugubrious nobody wanted to be around her. My own father had died on my third birthday in a tragic plane crash, in a plane he piloted, taking 33 souls with him, her brother had drowned in the river, she had suffered so many losses and she never missed the chance to remind every ear of her continued misery.
My own household as a youth was beset by violence, fear, and loathing, but the neglect and the cruelty of that family were more than surprising.
I will recommend your book to others but with lots of warnings.
Jim, thank you so much for this. I can't believe I did that with the baseball.....I'll get that fixed as soon as possible. I had to do some research on lugubrious. I found this: "The most common uses of the word characterize people who are feeling downcast, but it can also indicate that an inanimate object is depressing or in some other way inspires feelings of hopelessness. For example, an excessively dreary philosophy about life could be called lugubrious, as could the charred remains of a burned-down apartment building." Still, I think you're right that another word would fit better in that situation. Also, I'm very sorry about the terror you experienced as a child. I wish that had not happened. Thank you for reading the book & for recommending it to others. And thank you again for these corrections.
I am always and forever amazed and wonderstruck by the resilience of humans of all ages. A tender and touching, beautifully written telling of the tale of this family. I have had close acquaintance of only a handfull of people who in their 80s and beyond were still unreconciled to the lack of love from a parent. There is no way I can imagine how a family of children can emerge into an adult life after having been tossed out. Ever grateful.
Thank you, P.D.
Chapter 10, second sentence (in the Kindle version) it reads “they children” which I think is meant to read “the children”
A Powerful read. I’ve spent many a weekend off Loving road. I have a friend who lives just outside Morganton on 50 beautiful acres I would like to share this book with. She is approaching 80 years and I wonder if she is familiar with this story.
Ana, yes! Thank you so much. Cathy Payne caught that one & I've changed it on the Master Copy. Thank you so much!
Chris, I did get the book onto my website. It's more expensive there because of postage. Don't I owe you a book already?
Heading there. You don't owe me anything.
Ohhh..I’ve have wished for some time you would write in fiction…I’ve heard some stories about that institution and not so nice ones, too. I’ll be happy to review it for Southern Literary Review and post to Amazon and Goodreads.
Dawn, you are so generous with your support of Southern writers. I am in your debt.
Janisse! I’m excited to read this. You write so beautifully and inspire me to keep writing.
Mary Alice, wait until you read this. You could have written it. You know this territory soooo well. I can't WAIT until your book is done.
I cannot wait to read this. It reminds me of my first story I ever loved that was read to me as a child. The Box Car Children, but this true, and set in the mtns of North Ga.
Anita, in 2nd grade my teacher, Ms. Elizabeth Dunn, read The Boxcar Children out loud to me. In turn, I've read it to my two children. It is one of my favorite YA books of all time. You and I are so similar in so many ways.
twins in diff geographical places. My place was Tennessee.....or wherever my father landed with me and my sister......it's a story Ill tell you someday.
I know, twins kind of! I will be traveling down to visit Alec this coming Sunday and will stay maybe most of week, will stay in touch, to visit you on the way back to Athens mid to late next week?
Anita
I want to order direct from you, Janisse! I looked on your website and don't see it but I'm also particularly thick today so maybe I just missed it....
Chris, it's not up there yet.....I'll let you know.
I'm going to do this too once I figure it out....but it was on Kindle Unlimited so I started reading tonight and now on Chapter 9, I'd like to sacrifice my whole night to read it. I won't because it's been a challenging enough month but it is SO GOOD.
Oh wow, how amazing and exciting! I can't wait to read it.