Review of Hard Times, You Say? Smile, This Is The Great Depression
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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hard Times, You Say? Smile, This Is The Great Depression" by R. Leslie Howe.]
[I]Hard Times, You Say? Smile, This Is The Great Depression[/I] by R. Leslie Howe is an intriguing historical fiction novel that draws you in and never lets go. I met Gunther Miller in this book as a young boy who was large-sized. That would be a description he grew up with. Gunther had a ghastly accident that made him an orphan and left him with a speech impairment. Gunther had the privilege of family, and he grew up to become a humble, loving, and hardworking young man. Gunther met Michael during the Great Depression that followed the crash of the stock market. They took a liking to each other. I think their bond was because they were both kindred spirits: humble, loving, and hardworking. Their journey as friends began in earnest, and they went from one place to the other, gaining favor and making friends with quality people. I'd like you to meet Gunther Miller, Michael Bright, Aunt Marge, Lucas Polanski, Richie and his wife, Sally, and Leo and his wife and daughter, Gretta and Celia; you would love them. The list goes on, just as their roles in the book impacted me positively. I suggest that you get a copy of this book to read about how Gunther and these other wonderful characters navigated the hard times and traumatic experiences they faced.
I developed an interest in Gunther when I read that he loved to read and started reading at age two. I liked Michael's resolve; he chose a distinct path and followed his dream before he became jobless. The fact that he showed kindness to Gunther fascinated me. I enjoyed reading about the deep and untainted love shared by couples in this book. The men in this story are true lovers, and that includes Gunther. Beyond humans, I noticed the way the author incorporated the treatment of animals, especially when Michael stopped at nothing to rescue a cat and her kittens from burning to their deaths at the University of St. Bonaventure. The manner in which Daisy and Maude spoke about the horses they rode was not lost on me. Those instances gave me beautiful feelings. I liked how the characters saw themselves as a team to fight for and against good and evil. The way they looked out for each other was delightful.
The pacing of this story is even. The author did well with the introduction and development of the characters. Their struggles were real. Themes of friendship, heroism, teamwork, honesty, loyalty, hard work, trust, bravery, and mutual respect were fully explored. The times that I thought the story was dragging brought me to different twists and turns that piqued my interest afresh. I concluded within myself to simply follow the story, one page at a time. I saw some errors in the book, and some of them actually detracted from my reading experience. So, I am compelled to give this book a rating of[B]4 out of 5 stars[/B] . I removed 1 star because of the errors.
If you love reading cool stories that make your heart swell with emotion for the characters, I recommend this book to you without reservations. I don't know how to describe the perception I have about the author of this beautiful story. They displayed a high-level storytelling skill by weaving history and fiction together and creating a narrative of great emotional depth. I remain forever impressed with this book and will definitely read more of their books.
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Hard Times, You Say? Smile, This Is The Great Depression
View: on Bookshelves |
I developed an interest in Gunther when I read that he loved to read and started reading at age two. I liked Michael's resolve; he chose a distinct path and followed his dream before he became jobless. The fact that he showed kindness to Gunther fascinated me. I enjoyed reading about the deep and untainted love shared by couples in this book. The men in this story are true lovers, and that includes Gunther. Beyond humans, I noticed the way the author incorporated the treatment of animals, especially when Michael stopped at nothing to rescue a cat and her kittens from burning to their deaths at the University of St. Bonaventure. The manner in which Daisy and Maude spoke about the horses they rode was not lost on me. Those instances gave me beautiful feelings. I liked how the characters saw themselves as a team to fight for and against good and evil. The way they looked out for each other was delightful.
The pacing of this story is even. The author did well with the introduction and development of the characters. Their struggles were real. Themes of friendship, heroism, teamwork, honesty, loyalty, hard work, trust, bravery, and mutual respect were fully explored. The times that I thought the story was dragging brought me to different twists and turns that piqued my interest afresh. I concluded within myself to simply follow the story, one page at a time. I saw some errors in the book, and some of them actually detracted from my reading experience. So, I am compelled to give this book a rating of
If you love reading cool stories that make your heart swell with emotion for the characters, I recommend this book to you without reservations. I don't know how to describe the perception I have about the author of this beautiful story. They displayed a high-level storytelling skill by weaving history and fiction together and creating a narrative of great emotional depth. I remain forever impressed with this book and will definitely read more of their books.
******
Hard Times, You Say? Smile, This Is The Great Depression
View: on Bookshelves |
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