The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less
by Terry Ryan
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| Discussion of Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio | 0 | 05/01/2008 10:35PM |
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Read in June, 2001
Mom read a review of this book and one day went to the bookstore with several reviews and told the clerk she wanted all of them. She hadn't read it yet. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and kept quoting it the whole time I was there on vacation.
The author was number six of ten children born into an Irish Catholic family. The father drank a large proportion of his already insufficient paycheck. The mother, Evelyn Ryan, entered contests constantly to try to keep the family afloat. She also kept meticul...more
The author was number six of ten children born into an Irish Catholic family. The father drank a large proportion of his already insufficient paycheck. The mother, Evelyn Ryan, entered contests constantly to try to keep the family afloat. She also kept meticul...more
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A simply delightful book to read. Set in the 1950s, the author's family struggled to make ends meet. Ten kids and an alcoholic husband drained what income they had. Evelyn Ryan, was an amazing woman and by entering contests, she managed to provide an additional income and prizes to support her family. Evelyn's daughter, Terry, tells an entertaining story about her mom. It's clear that she admired and loved her mother a great deal.
Her voice rings true though, and her resourceful mother man...more
Her voice rings true though, and her resourceful mother man...more
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Read in December, 2007
Written by her daughter, this book is a fascinating look at a woman who literally raised her family by her wits.
Many people made a hobby out of entering the manufacturer's contests that were popular in the 1950s and 60s. Evelyn Ryan was unique in that her contest winnings were essential to her family's livelihood. She was the mother of 10 children and was married to an alcoholic whose salary could barely pay the rent. But Evelyn had a way with words and she entered every contest that came h...more
Many people made a hobby out of entering the manufacturer's contests that were popular in the 1950s and 60s. Evelyn Ryan was unique in that her contest winnings were essential to her family's livelihood. She was the mother of 10 children and was married to an alcoholic whose salary could barely pay the rent. But Evelyn had a way with words and she entered every contest that came h...more
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Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
narrative nonficition fans, best mom memoir fans, dysfuctional family memoir fans
This gets three stars more because I was interested in learning about the contest culture of the 50s and 60s than because of the writing itself. I never knew that the kind of word contests depicted in the book existed, and I also thought it was fun to read some of the ad slang of the time. I have always liked how ads in the 50s and 60s used words. A sort of golden age in advertising. And WAY kitsch.
However, I think it is difficult when reading this memoir not to be angry at everyone for pu...more
However, I think it is difficult when reading this memoir not to be angry at everyone for pu...more
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Read in January, 2008
My mom would love this book.
It's a worshipful biography of a woman who would supplement her husband's too-small-for-ten-kids income by writing advertising jingles and entering them in contests. The highlight for me was the anecdote about Mrs. Ryan's ten-minute grocery shopping spree. This homemaker was determined to fill her freezer (another contest win) with food items other than fish sticks, and she approached her one chance at free groceries with military strategy.
I also thought t...more
It's a worshipful biography of a woman who would supplement her husband's too-small-for-ten-kids income by writing advertising jingles and entering them in contests. The highlight for me was the anecdote about Mrs. Ryan's ten-minute grocery shopping spree. This homemaker was determined to fill her freezer (another contest win) with food items other than fish sticks, and she approached her one chance at free groceries with military strategy.
I also thought t...more
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This is one if not my favorite book I have read! The story of Evelyn using her God given talent of writing to support her family through the years against the odds of poverty and an abusive husband and TEN children amazed me. Made me realize I really shouldn't complain look at what you can do if you put your mind to it! I loved how the author included pictures throughout the book and a recap at the end to how all ten of the kids turned out.
I have to disagree with a review down below a bit I...more
I have to disagree with a review down below a bit I...more
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Read in June, 2008
I don't often give books 5 stars, but this one deserved it. An uplifting look at a way a mother in the 50s and 60s took what could have been a devastating situation and turned it into the best. The stories and anecdotes in the book made me smile and sometimes laugh out loud -- the story of when terry (aka Tuff) babysits her siblings, the tulip fiasco, the amazing ways they find to make their household appliances work even when they don't (applying pressure to the fridge at just the right spot ...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to Jessietaylortanner by:
nanarecommends it for: hannah, shell, jill,rachelle,diana, denise, molly,robin... so, about everyone, i guess.
I hesitated on whether to award this book my rarely bestowed 5-star rating. Those are far and few between and reserved for the select few books that have somehow altered me for the better in a life-long fashion. I don't know if this book meets my usual criteria, but it was definitely inspiring. As someone who is trying to improve their general outlook and attitude towards life, I found this memoir a great example to follow. The true story of this wife and mother of 10, trying to raise her family...more
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Read in March, 2008
This book is probably my new favorite book. It stands for hard work, determination, and everything that I would like to stand for in my life. This amazing woman faced more adversity than anyone else I have ever heard of--and even was able to leave her kids an inheritance!
In the mid 20th century there were tons of contests (as opposed to modern-day sweepstakes), where marketers would allow the public to come up with jingles and slogans that they would submit for prizes. Many stay-at-home-Mom...more
In the mid 20th century there were tons of contests (as opposed to modern-day sweepstakes), where marketers would allow the public to come up with jingles and slogans that they would submit for prizes. Many stay-at-home-Mom...more
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
everyone!
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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I read this book for a book group a few years ago. Parts of the book were very comical as the stories of poverty and general antics of children. Other parts of it were repetitive.
I didn't think the last part of the book matched the first part at all. There was a completely different narrative and feel.
While I liked that Evelyn Ryan worked so hard for her family, I kind of thought she was a snob. I know, how could I think that? She was too good to take a job doing laundry, cleaning hou...more
I didn't think the last part of the book matched the first part at all. There was a completely different narrative and feel.
While I liked that Evelyn Ryan worked so hard for her family, I kind of thought she was a snob. I know, how could I think that? She was too good to take a job doing laundry, cleaning hou...more
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recommended to Krista by:
book club
I enjoyed this book. All the little details like the chicken and Mammy the cat. And how they had secrets with mom like how the cat got in. Growing up in a alcoholic home, some of the stories really hit home about life with a drunk. It was almost good to know that I wasn't alone. The part that was my favorite was the kids got locked out of the house by dad. They all joined together to get back in and Mom stood up for the kids. The part I didn't like was that it always ended with them laughing. I ...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in June, 2004
A mother of ten finds a way to offset the foolish fiscal decisions of her drunkard husband to raise their nine kids and to save her family from the throes of poverty. With no money to pay the milkman let alone the mortgage, and at a time when women were looked down upon for getting jobs outside the home (the 1950's), Evelyn Ryan uses her literary genius to write award-winning poems, jingles, and slogans for national ad campaigns and competitions. Her family's needs are miraculously met by her ...more
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Dysfuntional family memoir for the faint of heart. Or for the Reader's Digest group. I should have known what to expect when I saw the forward by Suze Orman - I'm actually surprised I read it after that. Mother raises 10 kids in poverty and with an alcoholic husband, saving the family from bankruptcy and homlessness on more than one occasion by writing (really bad) jingles and slogans during the 50s. I would have liked to have read the real story - life couldn't have been as cheery and aw sh...more
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What I learned from this book is that you don't have to have a perfect life to be happy. Evelyn Ryan chooses to be happy in spite of numerous trials and setbacks, which would turn someone like me into a bitter old woman. Reading this book made me think that if she could raise her 10 children under her circumstances without regret, then maybe I can do a little better with my three kids, and keep a more positive outlook.
I also love the writing in this book, both Terry and Evelyn's writing!...more
I also love the writing in this book, both Terry and Evelyn's writing!...more
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Read in December, 2005
Evelyn Ryan is married to an alcoholic who doesn’t make much money. The Ryan’s have 10 kids to feed and a house that is falling apart. Evelyn managed to keep her 10 children fed and housed during the 1950s and '60s by entering--and winning--contests for rhymed jingles and advertising slogans of 25-words-or-less. Written by daughter Terry Ryan, it’s a book written with love and a real sense of wonder. Evelyn is a wonderful, intelligent, compassionate woman caught up in circumstance. S...more
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Read in January, 2008
recommended to Carole by:
Marin
This book was really great. One of those books about a person who is so amazing, if you wrote a novel about her, people would complain that it wasn't believable. This woman basically supported her family with the money and prizes from contests she entered. There were two times where a large cash prize came just in time to keep this family from losing their home. Amazing.
The book also made me remember all the good things about coming from a large family and made me think for the first time in m...more
The book also made me remember all the good things about coming from a large family and made me think for the first time in m...more
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Read in July, 2006
recommends it for:
Moms and anyone who loves 'em
The rest of the title is "How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words Or Less"
I thought it was very truthful and loving. The story is well written by one of the 10 children, Terry Ryan. Her voice is at once loving and thoughtful when she writes of the trials Evelyn Lehman Ryan went through. Mrs. Ryan herself was a talented writer who clearly used her talents to the best of her ability to help keep her family afloat with grace and aplomb. The often hilarious often painful story was a p...more
I thought it was very truthful and loving. The story is well written by one of the 10 children, Terry Ryan. Her voice is at once loving and thoughtful when she writes of the trials Evelyn Lehman Ryan went through. Mrs. Ryan herself was a talented writer who clearly used her talents to the best of her ability to help keep her family afloat with grace and aplomb. The often hilarious often painful story was a p...more
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Read in January, 2007
A true story set in towns I grew up near and of people I remember in a time of my youth. This bright woman met a financial need for her family by developing a knack into a professional skill. Probably a valedictorian that never left home - very far. I had heard of but never knew anyone who entered jingle contests by the basketful.
Prizes littered the house, but the drama of this book comes in the time that need superceded fun in awaiiting the outcome of a major contest. The author (one of t...more
Prizes littered the house, but the drama of this book comes in the time that need superceded fun in awaiiting the outcome of a major contest. The author (one of t...more
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Read in January, 2008
Evelyn Ryan is a woman who discovers the contests available in the 1950s and 1960s. She has an alcoholic husband and 10 children. Poverty is right around the corner but Mrs. E. Ryan enters contest after contest multiple times in order to feed her family.
The jingles she writes are worthy of the ad writers today. I must admit some of them were mind numbing, meaning they made no sense to me. Every contest she won seemed to be in the nick of time to save her family from disaster. Terry Ryan also...more
The jingles she writes are worthy of the ad writers today. I must admit some of them were mind numbing, meaning they made no sense to me. Every contest she won seemed to be in the nick of time to save her family from disaster. Terry Ryan also...more
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