By Terry Ryan
This writer first came to my attention when I read her obituary early in June. The book is a memoir and the main focus is Terry's mother, Evelyn Ryan. The author was born 6 months after I was, and I was keen to compare her view of growing up in Ohio (with which David has childhood links) with my view of Scotland at that time.
The Ryan family was large - 10 children - and poor, with a father who drank his earnings away. Nothing unusual in that scenario, you will say - one thinks immediately of "Angela's Ashes". Evelyn displays an exceptional talent, however; she enters every possible competition - often with multiple entries using many variants on her name and address - and wins repeatedly, keeping the family afloat with the prizes.
Anyone who reads the book will feel both sympathy and admiration for Evelyn Ryan, a remarkable woman, fighting real hardship to keep her large family fed and clothed. Her flair with words is clear to see in the many mini-rhymes she thinks up while at the ironing-board or the 25 word endorsements she invents to promote products.
I had been unaware of the predominance of such competitions in the US of the 50s and 60s. The book also helped to fill in some background for me on subjects with which I knew David was familiar (e.g. Burma Shave road signs). I have to confess, however, that I skimmed fairly lightly over the second half of the book, feeling that it was a bit too much the same as the first part.
There is, I believe, a movie (of the same name?) made in 2005 with Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson. Not having seen it, I cannot compare it with the book. It might be worth watching.
Anyone who reads the book will feel both sympathy and admiration for Evelyn Ryan, a remarkable woman, fighting real hardship to keep her large family fed and clothed. Her flair with words is clear to see in the many mini-rhymes she thinks up while at the ironing-board or the 25 word endorsements she invents to promote products.
I had been unaware of the predominance of such competitions in the US of the 50s and 60s. The book also helped to fill in some background for me on subjects with which I knew David was familiar (e.g. Burma Shave road signs). I have to confess, however, that I skimmed fairly lightly over the second half of the book, feeling that it was a bit too much the same as the first part.
There is, I believe, a movie (of the same name?) made in 2005 with Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson. Not having seen it, I cannot compare it with the book. It might be worth watching.
Review by Jean Nale
1 comment:
I'll add this to my must read list.
I hope it doesn't affect my view of Ohio the way "Angela's Ashes" did for the "Emerald Isle".
Ken
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