******
- Verified Buyer
The expanse of the United States that runs from Ohio west to the Rocky Mountains is known as the Midwest and often named as "America's Heartland." Midwesterners are frequently described as having personal values that refer to a practical and caring nature: 'An honest day's work for an honest day's pay.' 'Your word is your bond.' 'Always lend a helping hand.'Such is the setting and culture for this engaging account of the life of Amy James, the author's grandmother who lived in the Midwest from the 1880s to the mid 20th century. Amy, the youngest member of a close knit Illinois farming family shared chores and games with her nine siblings and developed a strong work ethic from her early life on the family's far. Because of her determined and prudent parents, Amy and her brothers and sisters received college degrees. By the time Amy was 16, she achieved her goal of earning a college certificate and was chosen for what she believed was the perfect job--teaching grade-school and older students in a one room school house.Amy's natural curiosity about the circumstances of her life (why must she give up her cherished teaching profession in order to marry the man she loves?), and her feisty responses to the world wide watersheds that occurred during her lifetime (women's suffrage, economic depression, the decade long Dust Bowl, and two world wars) became instruments for important changes in her life.This remarkable story cycles back and forth through history using a series of mini-stories shared between Amy and her great, great grandson. Much of the narrative is created from early public records and family documents that add vivid detail to historical fiction. A recreating of the Midwest in a past time is a gift for today's readers. This notable book is suitable for young adult readers to seniors. Photographs. 390 pages. $14.95 paperback.
