Customer Reviews

Bygone Days : Fondly Remembered

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The book "Bygone Days: Fondly Remembered" is a collection of plain spoken, first person family narratives. Reading these stories of ordinary people made me feel I was sitting in their kitchens hearing about events whose memories lingered to make their mark on succeeding generations.

The stories vary in tone, some pleasantly reportorial like the woman who accompanied her father as he skillfully extracted honey from a wild beehive, or the account of another writer describing the food he ate in England as a child during the days of rationing in W.W.II.

Other, darker stories tell of painful chilhood memories that have marked their adult lives; sometimes making them more insightful and courageous as adults. Two narratives describe the sadness accompanying the divorce of parents. It was striking to note that in addition to the pain of missing a parent in the 30's and 40's, children had to weather the social disapproval of the community. The most tragic story, however, was the account of the lynching of a great grandfather. The family somehow weathered this event by maintaining their family cohesiveness, cherishing and emulating their courageous and industrious progenitor.

All the stories are rooted in thir time, and the vivid descriptions of the bygone houses, jobs, recreation, food, child-rearing, and social mores add texture to the narratives. Reading this book will throw light on what we have gained and lost over the last decades.

As an author that is featured in this book, I can say the stories are an important thread in the fabric of America.

My great-great grandfathers lynching has garnered a lot of press lately, but this is the first publisher that recognized the importance of such rememberances.

Still, this book, is full of life, laughs and tragedy.

This is a small press publication, and it has limitations as such. However, the book is an enjoyable collection of first person narratives about family life. Most are nostalgic in nature, but there is much variety as well. My own story, "Father Dearest," is a humorous narrative that I hope will give the reader a hearty laugh.