1 out of 4 stars
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I Can Still Hear What Grandma Said “Give me my flowers while I live” by Sonya JW Lunsford is a book of memories, quotations and general life advice from the author as a means of sharing her grandmother’s wisdom. The book has a religious theme and is intended for “quick daily reference” on any of the topics ranging from health and appearance to spirituality to social stigmas and situations.
The information in this book is presented in 15 chapters, each on a different topic. Each section contains sayings from the author’s grandmother, an anecdote to explain how this advice came to her, and an explanation of how to apply the principle. Many quotes are not what they seem at first, while others are commonly heard in society.
One thing I liked about this book was that the author explained not only the situation in which she received this advice, but how it can be used by others, namely the reader. While this was often the case, there are sections where the background to the quotation or piece of advice is more of a memoir or biographical story. It is not always clear how or if the story relates to the advice she is sharing. I did like the wide range of topics covered by this book, since it gave me a more rounded view of the author’s opinions on various subjects.
Another issue with this book is the grammar. At least half of the sentences have incorrect or confusing grammar, which makes this book very difficult to read, and unsuitable for a “quick daily reference”. The writing is also very unstructured. Many sections are almost conversational with the reader. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but since the point of view and style changes so often, it is confusing and perhaps even unsettling. The author will provide a quote from her grandmother followed by a story or biblical reference, and then change topics mid-paragraph without explaining how the story relates to the quote.
I disagreed with some of the author’s views on religious matters, which I do not find to be a problem, but some of her views were stated with such confidence in their truth that I felt uncomfortable or judged for believing differently. She likely only meant to state an opinion she is so familiar with that she forgot or did not realize that others feel differently. In order for this book to be useful as intended, it needs a significant amount of editing. A different editing route could transform it into a memoir of the author’s interactions with her grandma.
I rate this book 1 out of 4 stars. I did not enjoy it for several reasons, one being my difference of opinions with the author, but the main issue was the poor quality of writing. This book does not appear to be professionally edited. It is only somewhat comprehensible, and certainly is not well suited for quick reference. Based on the content, it is also not suited for daily advice, since much of the text deals with the author’s memories and stories of her grandmother, rather than sharing actual advice. I doubt this book would appeal to most people, since there is such a variety in religious views in the world. While much of the advice deals with secular topics, religious beliefs are often included as the underlying reason for acting in a certain way.
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I can still hear what Grandma Said "Give me my flowers while I live"
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