A Historical Novel
By Joyce Furrow Thompson
Offers something to everyone. Appeals to women, history lovers, city
and country dwellers.
A strong seller in the religious
segment. Offers insight into a farm woman's faith.
Farm and family life at the turn
of the century
Summary
The story of farm life at the turn of the 20th century told through family's memories and actual events. The now
96-year-old Anna reminisces on her life as a young farm wife and mother of five, telling of theirs and their neighbors'
joys and sorrows as they live through both good and hard times.
Author's Comments
The End of August deals with my Grandmother, Anna Volk Weyhrich, born in Sand Prairie Township in 1880. I call
The End of August an historical novel. All the events really happened. Many of them took place before I was born,
so I had to embellish the conversations. I didn't know Anna's thoughts of course, I had to make them up throughout
the book, but that was easy, for most of the thoughts are my own. I guess I bared my soul in this book. I feel
that if I could have looked inside her head and heart, this is how she would have felt.
Extended Summary
Ninety six year old Anna muses back into her past, intertwining both poignant and joyous memories with the reality
of her present surroundings. She reminisces about her life in Green Valley, Illinois, a quiet, close knit farming
community in Tazewell county. It was here that Anna was born, grew up, married and reared her family.
From horse and buggy to men on the moon, Anna shares her memories of raging blizzards, colorful gypsies, quarantines
and dread diseases, threshing day, an angry lynch mob, Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show, Charles Lindbergh,
and the simple pleasures of farm life. She laments on the demise of windmills, beautiful old barns, and farmsteads.
Anna relates the story of her Poppa coming to America, the pain of leaving family behind in Hesse Darmstaadt, Germany,
yet eager to face a new frontier.
A spirited child, unlike her more docile siblings, Anna was the apple of her Poppa's eye, and most of her unruly
antics were overlooked. But her Momma was stern. So with age and the harshness of the times, Anna began burying
her emotions deep inside never wanting anyone to know that she often felt joy and tenderness.
Remembering happier times and simple pleasures, Anna compares her life then to the present with mixed emotions.
She often ponders, "Would she like to go back?"
Joyce Furrow Thompson Bio
Joyce Thompson resides in Pekin, Illinois where she and her husband, Robert are active members of Trinity Lutheran
Church. She is the mother of two and grandmother of one. In her free time Joyce enjoys antiquing, tracing genealogy,
metal detecting, swimming and spending time with her family. She assists daughter, Robin, in presenting seminars
and classes for Etiquette-Network. The End of August, her first novel, is now in its third printing.
Title:
The End of August
.
Publisher:
Robin Thompson Charm School
Author:
Thompson, Joyce
.
.
17298 Lake Knolls Road
Pekin, IL 61554
309-925-3157
joyce@theendofaugust.com
Pages:
172
.
.
ISBN:
0-9675318-1-0
.
.
ORDER NOW
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My Grandmother Anna on her Confirmation Day |
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Anna as a young lady |
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Anna & Fred on their |
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George, Albert and |
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Elsie (Little Elly) |
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Fred & Anna at their home near Green Valley |
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Fred & Anna's home |
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Anna at 94 years of age |
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Johann Phillip Weyhrich |
