Generations: An American Family [Hardcover]

John Egerton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1983

The richly poignant oral history and biography of one Kentucky family whose stories chronicle the pageant of the American experience over nine generations--from the American Revolution to the present.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Riveting." -- Anne Tyler, New York Times Book Review

"A chronicle of the Ledfords that invites us all to contemplate a realistic picture of how -- family by family, homestead by village by city -- our multifaceted country came to be." -- Chevy Chaser

"Egerton's technique of taking the reader through the process of writing the book with the Ledfords gives the reader a glimpse of the subjects' thought processes, attitudes, intelligence and wit. Burnam and Addie Ledford left us all a history that is at once unique to them and quintessentially Kentuckian." -- Kentucky Monthly

"An exemplary work of oral history.... This anniversary edition invites a new audience to the pleasures of local and regional history as interpreted by a master journalist through the voices of those who lived it." -- Lexington Herald-Leader

"In Egerton's hands, the Ledfords' memoirs are a tale of America itself: a social history that not only gets to the heart of being American, but, for an anthropological standpoint, also describes the way meaning is transmitted and preserved within social groups." -- Nashville Scene

"There is no way to read this book without coming away with a deeper appreciation of what America is all about." -- Nashville Tennessean

"Egerton urges us to recall, record, write down and remember the tales and traditions that make us the people we are." -- Nashville Tennessean

"In Egerton's hands, their story becomes a small American epic.... Generations illustrates the power of memory and the spoken word.... His accomplishment is as durable and as loving as the Ledfords' lives." -- Washington Post

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

Winner of the 1984 Lillian Smith Award --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Univ Pr of Kentucky; First edition. edition (September 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813114829
• ISBN-13: 978-0813114828
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,438,487 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you love a good story, read Generations, May 14, 2002

By 

Philip Liggett (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: GENERATIONS (Touchstone Books) (Board book)

I discovered "Generations" a few weeks ago at a used book sale, read it immediately, and passed it on to my octogenarian grandparents. The book is an amazing tale of how one need not be old and feel old at the same time. The central characters, Burnam and Addie Ledford, are great examples of Appalachian people who have wonderful stores of generations of family fact and legend, proven and unproven.

As a native of WV, I have known many people whose age, alertness, and knowledge rivaled that of Burnam and Addie, but few had all three, and seldom did such couples survive to the ages achieved by Burnam and Addie without the death of one or the other.

I'm extremely glad that Egerton took the time to get to know Burnam and Addie. (Read the book and you'll see that it's based on hours and hours of interviews with the couple.) Because we usually take such resources for granted (or just ignore them) we don't appreciate what the likes of Burnam and Addie have until they're gone. And, obviously--but painfully--it's too late then.

It's clear from the other reviews on this site that the Ledford family appreciates Egerton's work. I'm writing this to show that others can appreciate the book as well. Anyone interested in re-hearing the tales he or she heard at grandparents' knees will love Burnam and Addie's stories, which take us back to their great-grandparents and the late eighteenth century--no mean feat when one considers that they lived into the 1980s!

Egerton's coverage of the topic is thorough and entertaining. I was enthralled except when he went into detail about the Ledfords' descendants in order to give a rare view of seven generations of such a family. I was not as interested in the descendants, but for those who are, that part is well done, too.

If you love a good story, read this book. I grew up listening to and appreciating old story tellers like Burnam and Addie. Here in my present urban setting, I know of no one who matches the story-telling skills of the old people I knew in West Virginia. I'm afraid the art is being lost, along with front porches, and shooting the breeze while watching fireflies and listening to crickets. I'm no Luddite, but I do hate to see the loss of resources like Burnam and Addie. Old storytellers will die, but someone can pick up the standard and carry on in their stead. My thanks to Egerton for recording all that they had to say.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is just like being there with the elderly Ledfords., April 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Generations: An American Family (Hardcover)

I am the youngest granddaughter of the Ledfords and have real memories of when the book was being researched by John. We thought he was nuts! It is so very well written that it envokes sensory memories for me. I feel that I am with my beloved grandparents. I invite you to meet my family as they walk down time starting with covered wagons entering the Cumberland Gap and the dangers they met and ending in the 70's at the last family gathering before Grandpa's death. Each person can find something of interest. There is humor, adventures, romance, and tales of deep saddness. The reader is pulled into the story and seems to be part of the Ledford family. Come join the Ledford family as we live thru the times as your family also did. See you there.

We soon came to accept the author John as family. He also has written other books.

You have to read the book to figure out my idenity.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful oral history of an American family., April 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Generations: An American Family (Hardcover)

Having read this book numerous times I can honestly tell you that is really is a wonderful oral history of an American family, which just happens to be MY family. Egerton did a great job of capturing their oral reports of the history of the Ledford family. Oddly enough, my name, (or should I say my father's name, who I am named after) is the last words of the book. It dates back well into the 1800's to what would be my great-great-great grandparents. I would recomend this book to anyone who wants a good look into the history of an American family.