Back to the Homeplace
by William Leverne Smith
Synopsis:
An extended family in crisis following the death of their matriarch must cope with this new environment. The year is 1987. The terms of an unusual will left by their parents bring four grown children, spouses, and other family members, back to the Missouri Ozarks farm where they grew up - the Homeplace. Varied backgrounds and viewpoints ignite controversy and expose long kept secrets as each family member searches for his or her share of the family legacy. While the older family members stake their claims to land and fortunes, the younger ones search for love and acceptance.
Review:
Back to the Homeplace is an amazing journey of family values and individuals trying to find their place in life. Author William Leverne Smith brings together his love of genealogy and family storytelling in his writing of a story that could touch any one's life these days. The description of the Missouri Ozarks, which has numerous kinds of terrain, landscape and buildings, is amazingly accurate. It makes you want to go on a road trip to view the beautiful area!
The plot is well written with a will dividing a family who all want the farm for different reasons. The twist of the will requires them to live on the land for 2 years. Could you up and leave your life and start over with your family somewhere else? You will see in the story how this effects all the families involved as each day goes by and decisions have to be made. From the older generations to the younger kids, all must deal with new issues that arise from the new environment that surrounds them.
This book evolves around the year 1987. At the beginning of each chapter, there are little news clips of what was going on at the time. Many social issues were active at that time and some are covered in the story like the AIDS epidemic.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to read a great family oriented book that makes you think about the life you lead. The characters will make you think about people in your own family that may act or be like them (I sure found that out.) The writing is easy to read, but my only critique would be a more language use or slang of the area and a little less formal words used. This didn't distract me from the story, but living in the area myself, people speak a little more laid back. Take a trip in to the lives of the Bevins family and see what you may learn about those close to you.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Back to the Homeplace is just the first book in the series! I can't wait to read the next one. Head over to the series blogsite - The Homeplace Series Blog
You can buy the book NOW! In addition to Amazon.com you can get the book at the following location:
Vision to Action
Other genealogy books by William Leverne Smith can be bought at Lulu ... HERE
An extended family in crisis following the death of their matriarch must cope with this new environment. The year is 1987. The terms of an unusual will left by their parents bring four grown children, spouses, and other family members, back to the Missouri Ozarks farm where they grew up - the Homeplace. Varied backgrounds and viewpoints ignite controversy and expose long kept secrets as each family member searches for his or her share of the family legacy. While the older family members stake their claims to land and fortunes, the younger ones search for love and acceptance.
Review:
Back to the Homeplace is an amazing journey of family values and individuals trying to find their place in life. Author William Leverne Smith brings together his love of genealogy and family storytelling in his writing of a story that could touch any one's life these days. The description of the Missouri Ozarks, which has numerous kinds of terrain, landscape and buildings, is amazingly accurate. It makes you want to go on a road trip to view the beautiful area!
The plot is well written with a will dividing a family who all want the farm for different reasons. The twist of the will requires them to live on the land for 2 years. Could you up and leave your life and start over with your family somewhere else? You will see in the story how this effects all the families involved as each day goes by and decisions have to be made. From the older generations to the younger kids, all must deal with new issues that arise from the new environment that surrounds them.
This book evolves around the year 1987. At the beginning of each chapter, there are little news clips of what was going on at the time. Many social issues were active at that time and some are covered in the story like the AIDS epidemic.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to read a great family oriented book that makes you think about the life you lead. The characters will make you think about people in your own family that may act or be like them (I sure found that out.) The writing is easy to read, but my only critique would be a more language use or slang of the area and a little less formal words used. This didn't distract me from the story, but living in the area myself, people speak a little more laid back. Take a trip in to the lives of the Bevins family and see what you may learn about those close to you.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Back to the Homeplace is just the first book in the series! I can't wait to read the next one. Head over to the series blogsite - The Homeplace Series Blog
You can buy the book NOW! In addition to Amazon.com you can get the book at the following location:
Vision to Action
Other genealogy books by William Leverne Smith can be bought at Lulu ... HERE
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(GIVEAWAY is Now OVER)
BOOK GIVEAWAY
OF
BACK TO THE HOMEPLACE
OF
BACK TO THE HOMEPLACE
I will be giving away an autographed copy of "Back to the Homeplace" to a lucky winner!!
Contest rules:
1. Just leave a comment about one of you're favorite memories of the 80's or if you weren't around yet..what you like about that era!! This will get you 1 entry!
You can do the following for extra entries (leave link for blog and tweet postings so I can see that you did them, can be in same comment or different one)
a. Sign up to follow my blog and you get 1 extra entry.
b. Blog about the book giveaway for 1 extra entry.
c. Tweet about the book giveaway for 1 extra entry.
3. Please include your email address so I am able to contact you if you win.
4. You have from Saturday May 01st to Sunday May 09th at 10:00pm CT. to enter!!
5. Winner will be announced on Monday May 10th.
Thank you and good luck!!!
You can do the following for extra entries (leave link for blog and tweet postings so I can see that you did them, can be in same comment or different one)
a. Sign up to follow my blog and you get 1 extra entry.
b. Blog about the book giveaway for 1 extra entry.
c. Tweet about the book giveaway for 1 extra entry.
3. Please include your email address so I am able to contact you if you win.
4. You have from Saturday May 01st to Sunday May 09th at 10:00pm CT. to enter!!
5. Winner will be announced on Monday May 10th.
Thank you and good luck!!!
21 comments:
Just sent you a request to be my friend on facebook.
This book is sounds like it is my cup of tea. What I remember of the 1980's was having a son in elementary school, working full time at the telephone company and part time for my husband. I remember being "worn out"!
CarolNWong@aol.com
There you are... I'm leaving a comment, I've followed your blog AND I tweeted about it! :D.
http://twitter.com/gksmithlcw
Both of my children were born in the 80s, so that's my favorite memory of that time.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
new blog follower via GFC
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
Raising my children in the 80's, that was my favorite part!
cymlowell@gmail.com
In the 80's, I was just starting out .. When you're in your twenties, everything is bright and glorious and the future is yours for the taking. I think it was a great time of discovery for me!
jewell330 at aim dot com
I remember the girls had big hair, and so did the guys. Pastel Jackets and 5 O'clock shadows (on the guys, not the girls), Molly Ringwald, The Breakfast Club. Footloose. Senior Prom. Return of the Jedi marked the end of Star Wars for almost 15 years. I got my first computer in 1983. A Radio Shack TRS-80 with a black & white screen. Took up the majority of the desk. Had a whopping 48K of ram memory, and all the programs were stored on Cassette tapes. The newest tech for home computers then was the 5.25" Floppy Drives.
Everything changed in the '80s for me, because I was a little kid back then when my family moved to the Middle East.
But I remember all the best cartoons were from that decade, like Transformers. :)
Marian
mdperera at hotmail dot com
Great comments of the 1980s, folks, keep them coming. Best wishes!
;-)
I remember becoming a mother in the '80's, then a single mom, then a successful mom who found ways to balance work and home life.
bethlamie dot com
I signed up, blogged & tweeted. Really enjoyed your review of Bill's book.
Beth @ bethlamie dot com
I was a young adult just starting out on this adventure called "life"
I wish I knew then what I know now LOL.
I now Follow you via GFC :)
Here's my Tweet..
http://twitter.com/Coupons4Me/status/13530449051
I am a follower.
caliblue7@gmail.com
I loved the clothes of the 80's.
caliblue7@gmail.com
In the 1980's I got the job I stayed at for 22 years at a data center. Yeah for computers!
I went to a lot of rock concerts which is proably why I only listen to jazz now.
I remember the Challenger explosion.
susan56bft at gmail dot com
Allison's Attic of Books follower via Google
susan56bft at gmail dot com
I guess I was busy raising my children and time has gone by so fast!
rally_thade17@hotmail.com
Thanks for all the 80s memories!! Winner will be announced soon!!
Great review, Allison! But then you always give very special reviews. I love the way you express yourself in each of your reviews.
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