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Resilience and Mystery
Seeking Yesterday unfolds as both a personal quest and a sweeping historical account, blending memoir, genealogy, and local history into a seamless narrative. Why was this an important book for you to write?
The drive to understand our roots is a primal human need, and this book began with my husband, Bob’s, quiet desire to reclaim his. After over 50 years of marriage, I knew he wouldn’t write an autobiography, so my initial mission was simple: to create a family scrapbook of a 7-day ancestral journey.
But what started as a small, personal commemoration grew into something far grander.
The deeper we delved, a passion ignited in me. The focus shifted from merely collecting facts to understanding how history shaped these lives. Relying on family recall left too many tantalizing questions:
Why did a WWI veteran choose to homestead in the unforgiving desert?
Where did they find the grit to persevere through the Great Depression and a second World War?
What were the final, crucial details of the WWII pilot shot down in action?
The untold answers transformed a simple family record into a fascinating tale of resilience and mystery. My ultimate decision was to write the book in Bob’s voice—to impersonate his perspective and make his silent story heard. While unique to one family, I believe the powerful quest for identity, the perseverance through hardship, and the secrets unearthed resonate with anyone seeking their own vital connection to the past.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Ancestry is more than a list of names; it is a profound journey of discovery. While we may feel our own lives fall short of “extraordinary,” the tales of our forebears often sound instantly intriguing. Why?
The answer lies in the dynamic and vital intersection of two forces: individual personality and historical context.
This book is dedicated to exploring that very synthesis: the idea that character is not innate, but forged in the fires of world events. The questions that propelled my research became the essential themes I needed to share:
What is the true cost of global conflict on a single family’s spirit?
What does real resilience look like when played out against the backdrop of the Great Depression?
How are the universal qualities of grit, love, and loss magnified when they intersect with military service, homesteading, or personal tragedy?
My goal is to show how the seemingly “ordinary” lives of these ancestors were, in fact, extraordinary products of their time, and to demonstrate that understanding their story is the key to understanding the enduring identity—and resilience—of the generations that followed.
How has writing your family’s memoir impacted or changed your life?
Writing this book—stepping into my husband’s character to pen his family’s memoir—did more than create a historical record; it fundamentally deepened my relationship with him.
After 53 years of marriage, Bob and I have always been “joined at the hip,” but this project provided an unprecedented path to understanding. By immersing myself in his ancestry, struggles, and triumphs, I gained a profound, intimate appreciation for the forces that shaped the man I love. It served to reinforce the already strong bonds, continuing the love affair by giving it a rich, historical dimension.
Beyond the personal growth, the book offers an unexpected, yet deeply humbling, value: the chance to resonate with and help others on their own quest for roots. The fact that my personal labor of love is being met with accolades and can serve as a catalyst for other families is a rewarding bonus that extends the book’s personal legacy.
What advice do you have for aspiring memoir writers?
Begin with familiar family stories and traditions, imagine how your ancestors may have lived, review world events as it was during their lives, research important milestones, and ask questions… many questions! The secret is in the answers.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
A file of old documents, including a 1922 desert homestead land claim for 160 acres, copies of war commendations and World War II medals, a Purple Heart, and fading memories ignited Bob’s compelling quest to rediscover his roots. What prompted his grandparents to become homesteaders in the unforgiving desert? The deeper he looked, the broader a story unfolded as global and regional history interceded, shaping their lives and decisions. He discovers how a devastating World War II loss redefined the family, how another tragic accident cast its own long shadow on their lives, and how the true resilient spirit of “Grandma R” emerged through it all.
Told from Bob’s perspective, Seeking Yesterday is a testament to the enduring bonds of family, the profound impact of shared experiences, and a journey that reveals how yesterday’s echoes can illuminate today’s path and forge an unbreakable legacy for future generations.
More than a memoir, the book weaves a microcosm of American history by using one family’s experiences to illustrate broader events and social changes, including homesteading, WWI, the Great Depression, WWII, land development, community building, and the evolving American Dream. It is a tale that highlights the strength, resilience, perseverance, and adaptability of ordinary people in the face of extraordinary challenges.
Crossing the Centuries
Crossing the Centuries, by Brenda Hammon, is a fascinating journey into her ancestry’s spiritual and historical realms. Hammon connects with 165 spirits and energies from her family tree, offering readers an intricate tapestry of stories that span centuries. Through these connections, she brings forth a rich blend of personal anecdotes, spiritual encounters, and historical narratives that create a unique and compelling read.
Hammon’s writing is deeply personal and engaging. From the beginning, she invites readers into her world with vivid descriptions of her spiritual experiences. For instance, the account of her first angelic encounter at age five sets the book’s tone, illustrating her early connection with the spiritual realm. This blend of memoir and spiritual exploration makes the book relatable and thought-provoking. Her candid discussion of her struggles with accepting her gifts, such as the intense vertigo episode described in the first chapter, adds an authentic and human touch to the narrative.
One of the standout aspects of Hammon’s book is her ability to bring historical figures to life. The chapters dedicated to specific ancestors, like Stephen Hammond and Benjamin Hammond, are particularly compelling. Stephen Hammond’s recounting of his sudden heart attack and subsequent spiritual existence provides a poignant and introspective look at life after death. Similarly, Benjamin Hammond’s detailed descriptions of life in early 19th-century Connecticut and his soft-spoken demeanor make his story both informative and heartwarming. These chapters serve as a window into the past and highlight the enduring human spirit and its ability to transcend time.
While I enjoyed the book, I felt that the number of spirits and energies Hammon connects with can sometimes feel overwhelming, and keeping track of the various characters and their stories requires careful attention. The process of spirits revealing their stories, Hammon transcribing them, and the subsequent verification through research is a cycle that, though interesting, I believe can become somewhat predictable over time.
Crossing the Centuries is still a captivating read for anyone interested in spiritualism, genealogy, or personal narratives that bridge the gap between past and present. Brenda Hammon’s heartfelt writing and dedication to honoring her ancestors make this book a remarkable tribute to family history and spiritual connection.
Pages: 454 | ASIN : B0D443WTJB
Pages and Leaflets of North Oxfordshire
Pages and Leaflets of North Oxfordshire: My Lineage Pre 1700-1959 by Angela Fortnum is a book on family lineage and history. Fortnum was born in Banbury, Oxfordshire. Throughout her life, she has taken up several roles. After completing her schooling, she worked in a bank, took early retirement, and did a health and social care course. However, it wasn’t until her mother’s death that her interest in genealogy was rekindled that ultimately led her to write the book that explores her ancestry, going back to her seventh maternal great grandfather (GGF) and finally concludes with her mother and herself.
Fortnums exploration started off as a simple curiosity about her history; it was only when she started with her research that she realized that there was a story to tell and decided to publish the book as we see it today for the interest of the family historians. The book explores the gradual transition over eight generations from agricultural laborers to self-employed to smallholders and a change in religious beliefs, which stays an essential theme throughout the book. Fortnum’s ancestors have worked in various occupations, been affiliated with different churches, and passed on numerous possessions down the family line, the original account of which has been provided wherever possible in the text.
The text is supplemented by original and unabridged documents. It also provides photos of the churches and directions for those curious and who wish to dive deeper into the local history. I would have liked to have seen topics of general interest or more details about the historical events from the ancestors’ perspective and the impact on their general routine. This insightful book is a fascinating family account filled with photos and historical documents.
Pages and Leaflets of North Oxfordshire: My Lineage Pre 1700-1959 would benefit those doing an in-depth academic pursuit of genealogy. It provides readers with examples of how to put together a family genealogy history and examples of what documents to look for.
Pages: 53 | ASIN : B07HMTFL3M
I just look like this
In …I Just Look Like This, a book fitting for those seeking spiritual guidance, the author, A. Kirk Williams M.D., seeks to guide the reader towards finding peace in a world filled with lies and chaos. Williams provides social commentary in the form of articles, poems, and journal entries pertaining to a variety of topics in history, biology, and spirituality in no particular order.
Every chapter contains a new topic, allowing readers to piece together the greater story as they read. Most of the chapters are short, but ultimately leads to a provocative message pertaining to white males destroying the earth and inflicting misery on the rest of the world with their selfish, capitalistic, and destructive intent.
Williams attracts a large audience by relating to multiple cultures through his interesting genealogy and popular message of finding peace. Slowly, he reveals a controversial message to his initial pursuit of peace by encouraging people to be skeptical of ”those in power” and later equating that to white males. This turns into a biochemistry lesson on why white people are inferior to other races, using his professional background as a medical doctor as leverage to make his point.
The author uses some examples from history to boost his claim of white inferiority by presenting cases of war, genocide, and negligence committed by those of European descent. I felt that the historical cases were cherry-picked and ignored similar incidents throughout history perpetrated by other races on different continents.
This book has some great advice for living a happy life. Williams encourages his readers to seek a deeper sense of spirituality by pursuing mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical discipline. He details how to balance each of these four areas by seeking the innate truth of the world. This allows allows readers to find the truth that lies within them. Mostly, this is done by prayer and seeking the will of God, but I would have liked to have read a more defined description of this this search for truth.
Another inspiring concept addressed in …I Just Look Like This pertains to the benefit of close communities and seeking the wisdom of those who have experienced more in life. It’s the author’s view that wisdom comes with age and how he wished he had listened to his father’s advice on many things, saving him from his shortsighted nature.
While there are many life lessons and entertaining passages, I felt that this book blames many of the world’s woes on whites. Those uneducated in world history might be easily persuaded by Williams, but it’s always important to fact check authors with such bold claims of racial inferiority. This book has the potential to accomplish the opposite of the author’s stated intent, to promote peace, and instead, inspire hatred of others.
Pages: 158 | ISBN: 0964189453
Unusual Genealogy
Anita Bunkley Author Interview
The Twisted Crown is a fascinating story about a free black woman from the North searching for her mother in the post-Civil War South. What served as your inspiration while writing this novel?
My father’s family is from Moncks Corner, SC, and we still own property there. I was born in Ohio and grew up in the North. I have always been fascinated by stories about our land in Moncks Corner, called Bryan Tract, and how it was acquired, as well as our family’s unusual genealogy. My great-grandfather was a white man from Iowa, who went to South Carolina during Reconstruction, and eventually became a wealthy state senator. I have always felt that period in American history was not well documented from the female, Afro-centric point of view. So, I decided to focus on that time period. Once I began to acquire primary source documents that provided details of my great-grandfather’s life, I wanted to pen the novel from the point of view of a woman from the North who travels into the South during Reconstruction.
This is an entertaining novel that is high in social commentary. What were some themes you wanted focus on in this book?
Romance: My family’s mixed race background demonstrates the crossing of racial lines at that time, as is really evident throughout history. I wanted to present this aspect of society through characters who could see past the racial, cultural, and societal barriers that existed during this time period. Political: I wanted to better define what Reconstruction actually was. It was not rebuilding bridges and constructing new buildings, but an effort to establish a solid political structure and an economic base to replace the defeated Confederate government. Societal: My goal was to showcase the work of the Freedman’s Bureau and underscore its importance in helping freed slaves establish new lives in freedom after the Civil War.
Eva is an intriguing character that continued to develop as the story progressed. How did you capture the thoughts and emotions of a young black woman during this tumultuous time in history?
As a novelist of historical fiction, I have always focused on examining a period in history through the eyes of an African-American woman. My own family experiences, coupled with years of researching the role of black women throughout pivotal periods in history helped me shape Eva.
What is the next story that you are working on and when will it be available?
Writing historical fiction takes time, detailed research, and inspiration. I always spend time traveling to the geographic locations that I plan to use in my books I’m mulling time periods, traveling, and pulling my next story together without any release date in mind.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Linkedin
![The Twisted Crown by [Richmond Bunkley, Anita]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/510vwG6og9L.jpg)
The Twisted Crown takes readers from the bustling streets of Boston at the height of the Abolitionist movement to the war-ravaged landscape of Reconstruction-era South Carolina.
In 1867, Eva Phillips, who was born a slave yet lived in freedom, travels across the chaotic landscape of South Carolina in search of the mother who gave her away. During her journey, she is befriended by a black political activist promoting the rights of the newly freed slaves, a wealthy northern Carpetbagger, and a gutsy lady gambler who teaches Eva how to survive in the tumultuous Post-war environment.
When the spirited young widow’s quest draws her into a dangerous web of theft, lies, and murder, she becomes the target of a long-awaited confrontation that forces her into a fight for her life.
I am Maria
Genie Milgrom Author Interview
Pyre to Fire follows two stories, the fate of a Spanish village during the Inquisition and the contemporary story of a Cuban girl trying to find her roots. Why was this an important book for you to write?
This was the story of my own family with information that I gleaned from all the archival material that I found while researching my own genealogy. While the trajectory of the family, their occupations, names, etc are the not fiction, I had to embellish on the scenes and fill in the blanks. The little girl in Miami is me and it was important to show the relationship between me and my ancestors in as real a way as possible.
I enjoyed the detail in your vision of the village of Fermoselle during Spain’s sudden and devastating conversion to Catholicism. What kind of research did you undertake to ensure your book was accurate?
All my material is primary sourced. I have every single birth, death and marriage certificate as well as land purchases, notarial deeds and last wills of testaments going back to 1545. I then have just wills, notarial deeds and Inquisition records in the archives going back to 1405 Spain and Portugal.
Maria’s character was one that I thought was well developed and captured her soul. What was the inspiration for her character?
I am Maria. The whole description of incidents is exactly as they happened to me.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next book is The Recipes of the 15 Grandmothers. I was able to locate recipes that were passed to my Mother from Crypto Jewish times through today. The are special in that any keep the kosher laws even when the family was Catholic and are clearly showing a sign of their times. This book is finished and in the editing process.
Author Links: Facebook | GoodReads | Website | Sephardic Ancestry
A compelling work of historical fiction that engages the reader to follow the story of a family from the burning Pyres of the Spanish Inquisition to a young Cuban Catholic girl in Miami, Florida whose soul was ablaze with a desire to return to its’ rightful place among the Jewish people.
LITERARY TITAN 