Generations of My Family: Stories I Learned and Wrote

Generations of My Family is filled with stories of an American family who lived through the twentieth century, from the grandparents of the author to her grandchildren. The century was in a constant flux, changing dramatically with each decade as America participated in several World Wars and members of the family served the nation throughout the world, seeking peace among nations. At the same time, her paternal and maternal families, like other American families, adjusted to the changes. Love and marriage, children and grandchildren, war and peace not only among nations but among family members. Births and deaths, not all of those who were born lived a full life; some of the deaths were untimely due to factors beyond the control of the families. Love and anger mixed with the various relationships causing both comfort and strife. Suicide, childhood sexual assault, spouse battering, child abuse, alcoholism which were happening in the constantly changing culture and society also happened within the generations of the author's family. This collection of family memories and stories reflects all that was happening in society as a whole during a time of great progress in the lives and opportunities of women, child care, medical care and dealing with addictions. Stories of children in two-room schools, working in the fields, attending college, often the first college graduate of generations to enjoy the privilege of college graduation. Children in rural schools, missing father during World War II and other wars and also peacetimes, brothers and sister relationships both peaceful and hateful as in most generations of that century of wars. All families have a story to tell; the author has told her story of her family who enjoyed the benefits of reaching the best of middle class America by working hard, dealing with life's complications, using money wisely to become homeowners and graduates while experiencing an early death as her father at age forty-five or her paternal grandmother just short of one hundred; in every way, this book is the story of America during the Twentieth Century.