Meg's review
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less
by Terry Ryan
Meg's review
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less by Terry Ryan
Meg's review
rating:
bookshelves:
nonfiction
recommended 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 putting up with the father's alcoholic rages and general unprovoked idiocy. Although I know it was a different era, and I realize that a mom with ten kids might be hard-pressed to leave a husband who brings in even a bit of cash, I still felt frustrated that the author never even touched on how they could stand living with the guy, or how such a smart woman never blew a fuse and killed him to collect insurance. Also, not that well-written, the only real highlights were reproductions of the contest...more
However, I think it is difficult when reading this memoir not to be angry at everyone for putting up with the father's alcoholic rages and general unprovoked idiocy. Although I know it was a different era, and I realize that a mom with ten kids might be hard-pressed to leave a husband who brings in even a bit of cash, I still felt frustrated that the author never even touched on how they could stand living with the guy, or how such a smart woman never blew a fuse and killed him to collect insurance. Also, not that well-written, the only real highlights were reproductions of the contest...more
