Values from the Heartland: Stories of an American Farmgirl [Hardcover]

Bettie B. Youngs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1995

Readers will discover the deeper side of integrity, commitment, honor, self-discipline, connection and character in this beautiful collection of poignant stories. Illustrating values in action, this book illuminates how values are learned in the daily exchanges among family members, friends, neighbors and coworkers. It inspires us to remember that what is enriching and lasting in life is often the result of long-term investments in the people we love and care about.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bettie B. Youngs, Ph.D., Ed.D., is the critically acclaimed author of thirty-six books translated into twenty-four languages. Dr. Youngs is a former Teacher-of-the-Year, and University Professor of Educational Administration and Management, Graduate Division. Currently she is Executive Director of Professional Development Services, Inc. Widely considered an expert with a pulse on social issues influencing family and workplace issues, she is a frequent guest on television and radio talk shows, including The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, CNN, Oprah, Good Morning America and The View. Though Bettie's earlier work focused predominately on education and developmental issues for youth, family and educators, in recent years she is best known for her series of poignantly written short-story books that clearly and warmly elucidate the human spirit, captivating the American psyche and winning her wide-range appeal with audiences young and old alike.  

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Little Glass Chip Quite often my mother would ask me to set the family table with "the good china." As is often the case, china was a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation and held in the highest regard. My mother ordered the table to be set with the china quite frequently, but I never questioned these occasions. I assumed they were just my mother's desire or momentary whims and did what I was asked. One evening as I was setting the table, our neighbor Marge dropped by unexpectedly. She knocked at the door and Mom, busy at the stove, called to her to come in. Marge entered the large kitchen and, glancing at the beautifully set table, remarked, "Oh, I see you're expecting company. I'll come back another time. I should have called first, anyway." "No, no, it's all right," replied my mother. "We're not expecting company." "Well then," said Marge, with a puzzled look on her face, "why would you have the good china out? Gosh, I'd never trust my son to handle my grandmother's dishes. I'm so afraid they'll get broken, I use them only twice a year, if that." "Because," my mom answered, laughing softly, presumably because she found it silly that Marge should use her china so infrequently, "I've prepared my family's favorite meal. If you set your best table for guests and outsiders when you prepare a special meal, why not for your own family? They're as special as anyone I can think of." "Well, yes, but your beautiful china will get chipped," responded Marge, still not understanding the importance of the value my mother had assigned to esteeming her family in this way. "And then you won't have it to pass on to your children." "Oh well," said Mom, casually, "a few chips in the china are a small price to pay for the joy we get using it. Besides," she added with a twinkle in her eyes, "all these chips have a story to tell, now don't they?" She looked at Marge as though a woman with a family of her own should have known this. Marge still didn't get it. Mom walked to the cupboard and took down a plate. Holding it up, she said, "See this chip? I was 17 when this happened. I'll never forget that day." My mother's voice softened and she seemed to be remembering another time. "One fall day my brothers needed help putting up the last of the season's hay, so they hired a strong young man to help out." Mom paused, then continued. "My mother had asked me to go to the hen house to gather fresh eggs. It was then when I first noticed this very handsome young man. I stopped and watched for a moment as he picked up the large and heavy bales of freshly cut hay and slung them up and over his shoulder, tossing them effortlessly into the hay loft. I tell you, he was one gorgeous man: lean, slim-waisted, with powerful arms and shiny, thick sandy-blonde hair. He must have felt my presence because with a bale of hay in mid-air, he stopped and turned and looked at me, and just smiled. He was so incredibly handsome," she said slowly, ru

Product Details

• Hardcover: 275 pages
• Publisher: HCI; 1 edition (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558743340
• ISBN-13: 978-1558743342
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,538,499 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great lessons about life and an enjoyable read, September 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Values from the Heartland: Stories of an American Farmgirl (Paperback)

This book was interesting and enjoyable to read but it also contained a lot of wisdom about life. The author does a great job of recreating the excitement and potential of youth in a way that is interesting to young people or adults. I found the book made me look back to lessons I'd learned from my youth that I'd almost forgotten about. It also made me think a little more consciously about the stories in my life that have helped to create my own values and beliefs.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Collection of Inspiring Short Stories, April 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Values from the Heartland: Stories of an American Farmgirl (Paperback)

This book was particularly poignant for me as it was reminiscent of my own youth, but also that of my parents. Bettie Youngs is a gifted story-teller, but her stories do much more than merely entertain. They remind us of timeless values, sadly all but forgotten by too many of us. Even my children enjoyed some of these stories. Their favorite was "Red Dot." Treat yourself to this and other books by Bettie Youngs.

1.0 out of 5 stars not an enjoyable book, May 29, 2011

By 

P. Butler (Prescott, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Values from the Heartland: Stories of an American Farmgirl (Paperback)

I gave up on this after about 50 pages in which the author said nothing much, and she said it over and over again. I don't like to be critical, but I also don't like to waste money, and that's what I did. It's going to the thrift store in a few days. Sorry...