My Name Is Esther Clara

by Laurel Johnson

Esther Clara’s lifetime spanned two world wars and the advent of electricity, plumbing, refrigeration, penicillin, telephones, automobiles, airplanes, air conditioning, radio, TV, computers, department stores, shopping malls and many other inventions and conveniences that have come to be considered basics of modern American life. Here is an authentic account of 20th Century rural America audio- and videotaped by Esther Clara before her death in 1989 and adeptly reconstituted by her granddaughter, Laurel Johnson, a professional writer and master storyteller.

241 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2006

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laurel Johnson speaks for her grandmother, Esther Clara Sanow Ford, with this - what the author refers to as creative nonfiction - first-person tale of a woman's journey through life. The reader relives history through the eyes of Esther, who experienced the hardships of World Wars I and II and the Korean War, the discord of the Vietnam War, and the worst depression this country has experienced to date. Esther's life evolved from one extreme to the other, from having to cook on a wooden stove, read by kerosene lantern and use an outhouse to one with all the luxuries electricity and running water have to offer; and from riding in horse-drawn carriages to traveling by automobile. How delightful to read about her antics as a child and terribly sad to learn of the death of a beloved child during her marriage.

Esther was a forward-thinking woman who lived during an exciting, progressive time in our nation's history. Her love and devotion to her family, especially her husband Herb, was her number one priority. It is through Esther one is reminded of the basics of life: enduring hardships with bravery and positive thoughts, loving with all one's heart, showing kindness toward others, and above all, being true to one's self.

It's a rarity when a book of this quality crosses my desk. It seemed as if Esther sat across from me, talking directly to me. I didn't want to put the book down, nor did I want it to end. Although Esther may not have had a documented impact on the history of America, she certainly made an impact on this reader and, I imagine, many others.

[T.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent tale told from the point of view of a strong mid-western woman going through history. This one deserves all the critical acclaim it receives, and then some!