Songs of Life and Grace

Rating:
Summary: A worthwhile read
Review: "Songs of Life and Grace" addresses, among other things, the primacy of the married state [for better and worse as they say]-not only its impact on every aspect of the couple's life but even their offspring. Strongly recommend this memoir for the following disciplines: women's studies, cultural/regional studies, family, and oral history. I recommend this as strongly as C. Bateson's autobiographical material. DeRosier writes well and the text is strong from beginning to end, enjoyable and thoughtful.

Rating:
Summary: On the shoulders of ordinary giants; must read!!
Review: Quite simply, Songs of Life and Grace is proof that each person makes all the difference in his or her own life. But they don't do it alone. As a native Kentuckian I am proud of where I come from. It's rare though to find a book that addresses the good things about Appalachian families. But this book isn't just for Appalachian families. It's for anybody who loves to read a good memoir. She's telling stories about her family that take place over the past century or more. But it's more than that. She's talking about the coal mines, the changes in women's lives in the past few decades, the value of remembering with pride where you come from.

DeRosier could have lingered on what was missing, on weaknesses, but she didn't. She zoomed in on the strengths that were present; saw in them her family's gifts to her. She succeeds, in part, because she knows where to focus. She knows finding the good always beats finding the bad. She understands each of us builds a life on the shoulders of those who came before.

I read DeRosier's first book, Creeker [it was good too!] and am glad she has another one out. This book is nothing short of a glorious tribute to the power of family and place in our lives. If you enjoyed Creeker, you'll love this. If you haven't read Creeker... save yourself the extra shipping costs...buy both NOW!

Rating:
Summary: Awesome book
Review: There seems to be a lot of talk about Tom Brokaw's latest: A Long Way from Home: Growing Up in the American Heartland. What he has done for South Dakota and the generations that came before him, Linda Scott DeRosier has done for Appalachia and her people. This is a beautiful memoir: honest, intelligent, loving, and most of all human. I definitely recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Good enough for Lee Smith; good enough for me
Review: This book reminds me of my own family. I'm not from KY, but our lives our similar, but I never could have told the story as well as DeRosier. This is really a great book - she revisits her raising, as well as that of her parents, grandparents, and as far back as she could find genealogical information. It's been a long time since I read a book from cover to cover and enjoyed every chapter. She tells honest, charming, and heartbreaking stories with sensitivity, humor, and the kind of wisdom families used to pass on. Songs of Life and Grace is one I'll be reading again. This is a great author; highly recommend this book.