Love Always, Hobby and Jessie [Paperback]

Sara Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 26, 2009

Even the most difficult of marriages can survive a lifetime through commitment, acceptance, and work. In Love Always, Hobby and Jessie, the improbable bond that was the marriage of Hobby and Jessie Robinson showcases one example of a rocky marriage that eventually finds its footing. Defined by their heritage and their experiences, Hobby and Jessie met, merged,-and split many times as they unknowingly defined their unique relationship. The conditions implemented to keep peace forged an eventual lifelong truce and acceptance. Those outside of their marriage would have been puzzled the solutions that Hobby and Jessie found. As unconventional as they were to each other, their attempts at brokering their special treaties mirrored their individual styles. Couples who settle on the edges of their relationship often find themselves at the very center of it. Sara Robinson grew up in Elkton, VA and currently resides in Charlottesville, VA.

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: Sara M. Robinson (October 26, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0984249605
• ISBN-13: 978-0984249602
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,650,940 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sara Robinson, born in Charlottesville, VA and raised in nearby Elkton, VA., in the Shenandoah Valley, was the only child of Hobby and Jessie Robinson. Hobby was the first generation born in the US of Lithuanian immigrants. Jessie was from a line of Irish-German immigrants who had settled originally in W.VA. As Sara grew up amidst the retail goods in a family-owned clothing business, she witnessed many interactions between her parents as they struggled to find the footing of the marriage. Hobby was well-known as a local photographer and over two decades compiled and self-published a series of photojournals describing the residents of Elkton. It is highly probable that no one else in the US has ever undertaken or completed such a feat. Today his books are considered collectibles and most followers seek to have the complete book series. Sara has written and published(Pathbinder Books LLC) a telling memoir about the early years of her parents marriage. Her unique writing style combining narrative, metaphor, and conversational approach provide the reader with ample opportunity to feel a range of emotions within the stories provided.

Hobby and Jessie had a problematic and challenging marriage that lasted over 50 years. During this time, their "starts and fits" relationship yielded many unusual resolutions that would baffle outsiders as to how they might have worked.

The reader will be transported back in time via the conveyance of the writer's craft, assisted along the way with the incorporation of photos to excite the journey.

Sara currently lives in Charlottesville where she is working on her next writing projects: A five-book murder mystery series set in the Elkton area and a collection of short stories.

Sara is a member of the Blue Ridge Chapter of the Virginia Writer's Club, The Virginia Writer's Club, and National League of American Pen Women.
Look for her radio interview on 14 July 2010 at 8 PM(Eastern)on ArtistFirst Radio Network(www.artistfirst.com).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A picture is worth a thousand words., January 27, 2010

By 

Steven Knight - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Love Always, Hobby and Jessie (Paperback)

Thanks to Sara's father, Randolph `Hobby' Robinson, and his love for photography she has plenty material to develop a truly accurate and realistic depiction of the life of her parents, Hobby and Jessie. In "Love Always, Hobby and Jessie," we take a trip to small town Elkton, Virginia during the late 1920's and the 30's to witness this life as told by their daughter.

Unlike other memoirs, "Love Always, Hobby and Jessie" takes a close, hard look at the truth of marriage and life. The author has left nothing out; we see firsthand the ups and downs, the good times and bad. We see the break ups and the make ups as Jessie and Hobby struggle to keep their union afloat while raising a little girl.

The truth can be tough at times but the no-holds barred honesty found in "Love Always, Hobby and Jessie" gives it a meaningful feel and a welcoming depth of reality. We learn, through the tales and relationship of Hobby and Jessie, that commitment back then is just as important as it is now.

From the first word, Sara Robinson's passion for the small town she was raised in and what it meant to her and her parents is evident. Instantly, we are taken back in time to a different era. With each passing page, it is virtually impossible not to relate to the people, places, and events that occurred during the life of Hobby and Jessie.

Sara's creative and colorful writing style incorporates the use of metaphors to give the story a new dimension and additional depth. Stimulating all the senses, Sara's writing creates images in the reader's mind that play like a movie reel. The textures and details invoked by the combination of all these attributes will place the reader right in the story, setting and plot.

I recommend "Love Always, Hobby and Jessie" to those who enjoy reading about small town America during the 1920's and 30's. I would also recommend this book to married couples. There is a lot to learn from the marriage of Hobby and Jessie.

No two people are a perfect match but once joined they can - love always.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great photos, Great Memoir, January 12, 2010

By 

Dusty Sanchez - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love Always, Hobby and Jessie (Paperback)

"Love Always, Hobby and Jessie" was a Christmas gift for me, and what a pleasant surprise it was. My mother grew up in Luray,VA, right next door to the location of "Love Always" and this book featured characters that she may have run into, in the 1940s and 50s. It made me feel closer to her as I read of the author's parents and their relationship in small town Elkton, VA. The author has included lots of her father's photos as well, which are really beautiful works of art, especially the portraits.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humble, heartfelt and heartwarming, January 5, 2010

By 

Rose Red (Hudson, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love Always, Hobby and Jessie (Paperback)

Sara Robinson's engaging memoir is proof that the simple acts of living and loving make monumental ripples through the passage of time and deserve their immortalization in ink. The book is a parfait of emotion. First Robinson expertly introduces the reader to her parents. Then the talented Robinson treats the reader to one layer after another of character, desire, disappointment, satisfaction and acceptance, all brought together in the delectable pairing of two people who learn to live with love's contentious side. Robinson expertly opens windows to the lives of America's Greatest Generation through the story's everyday activities while poignantly portraying her parent's unique hearts and minds. Through candid and vivid vignettes, Robinson lovingly reveals the who and why of Hobby and Jessie. I laughed, cried and sighed. What more can one ask of a memoir?