Monday, November 1, 2010

THE HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS: REVIEW AND BONUS ENTRIES

GIVEAWAY ENDED
THE HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS
BY BETTY AUCHARD
 

REMINDER ABOUT THE BOOK:

The eldest of three in an unconventional family making their way through The Great Depression, Betty narrates this humorous and poignant recollection. Although poor in possessions, Betty’s family leads a life so rich in turmoil that it rivals today’s sitcoms.

Betty’s young parents tie and untie the marital knot three times amidst a string of separations. When relatives become too weary to keep the children, Betty and her siblings are dropped off at The Home for the Friendless where they enjoy three meals a day, indoor plumbing, a grassy playground, and plenty of holiday parties.

The family reunites two years later and the roller coaster resumes. The Peals move multiple times across two states, proving that love overcomes all and that normal isn’t always better.


MY REVIEW:

THE HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS: FINDING HOPE, LOVE, AND FAMILY by Betty Auchard is a warm, entertaining, and time relevant look back at the author’s young life with her family from Iowa growing up during the depression age generation years. Narrated by Betty Auchard as a young child through her teen years, from her own memory and stories she gathered from family members, THE HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS is honest and poignant while still having many parts that make you smile and laugh. Betty tells how her parents loved each other in their own way but parted and then got back together many times over the years. Although they did this, the narration still resonates with love for her parents no matter what situation the children were put in, especially since it is told from a loving child’s point of view.

The book is divided into periods of Betty’s life with charming photographs taken during those times. Part One tells of The Early Years and is filled with tales of family and bed wetting, thumb sucking, and holiday parties which believe it or not, carries over into Part Two Life at the Home for the Friendless. Although the children were often left with relatives during tough times or times when their parents were apart, Part Two at the home was the first time that was a very different point in Betty’s life. She recalls everything from being afraid at first to making toothpaste into peppermint candy, as well as celebrations and education in all forms! Other parts do talk about other places the children stayed but THE HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS seemed to make the biggest impression on the author.

Part Three goes into living in their first home on 32nd Street as A Real Family and moves into what it was like growing up during the war in the next two parts. The last parts focus on Betty growing into a woman and in Part Eight, the stories are about Becoming Betty Peal. I think it was especially nice that at the end of the book, Betty Auchard has supplied a valuable “History Lesson” as she explains in what is referred to as Betty Boop’s History Lessons, various people or terms that many people, especially younger generations, have no idea about. From Betty Grable and Buffalo Bob, (who I met as a child when I was on the Howdy Doody Show), to Fireside Chats and Penny Loafers. For me, the History Lessons at the end was the most valuable and memorable part, even though I totally enjoyed all of the stories of Betty’s life and her time in THE HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS. The enjoyment from this book can also be added to what we can learn from this story of what it is like to persevere and make it through tough economic times. Thanks for it all, Betty Auchard!


 GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO BETTY AND 

HER PUBLICIST, STEPHANIE BARKO,
I HAVE ONE COPY OF THIS WONDERFUL
BOOK TO GIVE AWAY TO ONE WINNER
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY:
COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT MY REVIEW OF THE HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS  AND WHY YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK

+1 MORE ENTRY:
BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK AND LEAVE A LINK THAT I CAN FOLLOW

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BE SURE AND GO BACK TO THE FIRST POST WITH MY INTERVIEW OF BETTY AUCHARD AND GET YOUR EXTRA ENTRIES THERE.


GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, NOVEMBER 1!

GOOD LUCK!

26 comments:

Steve Capell said...

My grandmother and grandfather went through the depression and I truly think it reshaped them. After reading in the review how they made toothpaste into peppermint candy I was reminded how many times my grandmother would take normal everyday items and use them for something else instead of buying the commercial advertised product from the store. I remember one year I got a cold and she made up a concoction of items on her stove to rub on my chest and told me I would be much better over night. I actually did feel much better the next morning. The only thing I remember was part of the recipe was duck fat. Uggg! And also Uggg on the making toothpaste into peppermint candy. I hope the world never has to go through a depression again. This book would be a great read for me as I would like to read about the era in time and how people survived. Thanks for the opportunity.

steven(dot)capell(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

The story of growing up in the depression sounds interesting. I like family dramas and stories that bring the members together.
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Unknown said...

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traveler said...

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minishoes1 said...

What I found interesting about your review is you said it was divided in different parts -from childhood to staying with relatives... the children still loved there parents no matter what and learning about history.. Also, I would love to read stories on how people survive in difficult times.I am always amazed at the stories! Thanks! jacquecurl1(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I thought that Steve Capell's comment was very interesting. I wrote about my father being shuffled from relative to relative in the depression in Part I for this book, my mother experience of the Great Depression was different. She grew up on a farm with lots of brothers and sisters. She told me of having to take lard sandwiches to school for lunch and never having any "store bought" clothes until her high school graduation. Her clothes were hand me downs from her older sisters and she was the youngest daughter so whatever she got was pretty worn out. Also, getting back to home remedies, my grandmother and her mother would ladle out black strap molasses and castor oil when her kid got sick. Also,
you had to do the dishes and other chores if you stayed home sick from school. That accounted for the family's perfect attendence record at school.
I would really like to read this book.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

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Carolee888 Carolee888 http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/ See this link for a giveaway of 'Home for the Friendless"

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

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CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

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Nancye said...

Both my parents went through the Depression and it really made them work hard for what they had and really appreciate what they had. I would like to read this book and "kind of" live through what they did.

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