The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less
Product Type: Book
Product Price: $22.95
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
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Description
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio introduces Evelyn Ryan, an enterprising woman who kept poverty at bay with wit, poetry, and perfect prose during the "contest era" of the 1950s and 1960s. Standing up to the church, her alcoholic husband, and antiquated ideas about women, Evelyn turned every financial challenge into an opportunity for innovation, all the while raising her six sons and four daughters with the belief that miracles are an everyday occurrence. The inspiration for a major motion picture, Evelyn Ryan's story is told by her daughter Terry with an infectious joy that shows how a winning spirit and sense of humor can triumph over adversity every time.
Reviews
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-07-17
Summary: "A Private Gift"
The author found years of 1950's jingles and slogans contest forms and notes in her deceased mother's trunks. From this treasure trove, she had the courage and source material to share an inspirational story of her mother's triumphs as a contest applicant. This sounds like a recipe for a sleeper, but the author has inherited a great deal of her mother's literary and creative gift. She artfully weaves the various jingles into the story and they become another lead player. The larger story is one of persistence, creativity and goodness in a challenging home environment of the small-town midwest, a large family, an alcoholic father and a tenuous economic situation. This is a well-written, interesting and touching story. The author reads the story on the CD-version, making it even more personal and enjoyable.
As I was writing this, a Publishers Clearinghouse window popped open. Some things never change!
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-07-13
Summary: "Thought provoking"
Loved this story of strength and commitment of a wife and mother raising her large family under very difficult conditions. She honored her marriage vowels to a very flawed husband and raised her children with love, patience and example. A very heart-warming book of a woman who took life as it came and made the most of her gifts and talents to make the best of it.
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-03-14
Summary: "It was the best."
This was a great book. The father was very believable and the story was a wonderful true story. We need more books like this.
Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2010-03-04
Summary: "Great book"
Love the book, service was great! I never dreamed there was another family so much like mine.
Rating: 1 / 5
Date: 2010-03-02
Summary: "Such a SNOOZE!"
The whit wasn't catchy & neither was the book. I suffered through the first 5 chapters, then put myself out of my misery by tossing this one in the donation pile!