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Ohio Town
by Helen Hooven Santmyer | Biographies & Memoirs
Registered by tabby-cat-owner of Phoenix, Arizona USA on Thursday, December 22, 2005
Average 8 star rating by BookCrossing Members 

status (set by maid-of-all): to be read


9 journalers for this copy...

Journal Entry 1 by tabby-cat-owner from Phoenix, Arizona USA on Thursday, December 22, 2005

10 out of 10

I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir that is based not on the author's chronological life but on her memories of her small Ohio hometown. This is a tribute as the author was quite old when she wrote this book and the hometown had changed much since her childhood. I felt as though I was having a conversation, a one-sided conversation, but a conversation with an older person describing what it was like to live back then, in the days of steam-engine railroad trains, empty unpaved streets, sleding down Main Street, going nutting in the Autumn, being punished by strict teachers at school....It's a topic I've always been interested in. Too bad that I don't know that many old people personally.... 

Journal Entry 2 by tabby-cat-owner at As requested in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, December 22, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Released 6 yrs ago (12/22/2005 UTC) at As requested in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

mailing to labmomnm of Albuquerque, New Mexico as requested through PokPok's nonfiction virtual bookbox.

Enjoy! Sorry that it took me so long to read this book, it is not a quick read. 

Journal Entry 3 by winglabmomnmwing from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Tuesday, January 03, 2006

7 out of 10

Came in the mail last week; BCID arrived later :-) Thanks!

23 June '06 - started reading.....

26 June '06 - This was a nice book, but I admit that I skimmed a bit. Some of the sections seemed like they'd be more interesting to someone who is familiar with the town; I had a hard time caring about the house chapter. But I loved the library section, and really liked some of the others. Will be sending this out as a ray:

genielady (WVa)
LyzzyBee (UK)
anglersrest (UK) overseas shipping OK
chubsiewhubsie (OH)
Thursday5 (OH)
guinaveve (OH) will wild-release in Xenia!<-----
 

Journal Entry 4 by Genielady from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia USA on Wednesday, July 12, 2006

This book has not been rated.

The book arrived safely. I've only been to Ohio once, but I grew up next door in Pennsylvania. I'll try to read this as quickly as I can (there's one bookring ahead of it). Thanks for sharing. 

Journal Entry 5 by Genielady at for a bookring in to a fellow bookcrosser, a postal release -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, September 19, 2006

This book has not been rated.

RELEASE NOTES:

Sorry it took me soooo long to read this one. A very interesting book. Mailing off to LyzzyBee on Friday. 

Journal Entry 6 by Genielady at for a bookring in to a fellow bookcrosser, a postal release -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, September 27, 2006

This book has not been rated.

Released 5 yrs ago (9/27/2006 UTC) at for a bookring in to a fellow bookcrosser, a postal release -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

A very interesting book. Mailing off to the UK now. (Sorry about the delay - family problems). Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 7 by wingLyzzyBeewing from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Thursday, October 05, 2006

This book has not been rated.

Received with thanks this morning.

I am very excited, as I don't think I had realised that this was by Helen Hooven Santmyer, whose "... And Ladies of the Club" was one of my favourite books EVER (found it via BookCrossing and had to add it to the Permanent Collection, pending finding a copy of my own, which I don't expect to find soon. Don't worry - I won't be adding this one to the PC but will send it on like a good girl!)

This is number 3 on the pile'o'rings but the other 2 are quite short and I read fast, so I should get to it fairly soon. 

Journal Entry 8 by wingLyzzyBeewing from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, October 14, 2006

This book has not been rated.

What a lovely book! Particularly lovely to me were the chapters on the schools, the women's college and the library, all, quite obviously, the inspirations for the schools, college and library in the wonderful novel "And Ladies of the Club". I managed to savour this even with the pressure of other bookrings building up behind it. Nostalgic but not sentimental. Thank you so much for giving me the chance to read it, especially as it has made a special journey over to England, just for me!

PM'ing chubsiewubsie so this great book can continue its journey as quickly as possible. 

Journal Entry 9 by wingLyzzyBeewing at Sent to another BookCrosser in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases on Monday, October 16, 2006

This book has not been rated.

Released 5 yrs ago (10/17/2006 UTC) at Sent to another BookCrosser in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Posting to AnglersRest on Tuesday. 

Journal Entry 10 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 18, 2006

This book has not been rated.

Thanks labmomnm for adding me to the ring, and to LyzzyBee who sent it on to me. I have a two rings in front on this one, but will read asap and sent on its way. 

Journal Entry 11 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Monday, November 20, 2006

8 out of 10

What an amazing book. Like tabby-cat-owner, I felt that the book had the feel of a one sided conversation, the sort you might have with an elderly family member, a way of recording the past and bringing it alive. Probably of real interest to those who live in the area, and could identify with the town in reality.....super book.

Thanks for adding me to the ring, I have chubsiewhubsie's address (forwarded by LyzzyBee), so this will be in the post tomorrow. 

Journal Entry 12 by chubsiewhubsie from Brunswick, Ohio USA on Wednesday, November 29, 2006

This book has not been rated.

The day I got this book from the PO...I was sick. I have been getting migraines and the computer screen kills me. I have read this book already. Wow! I really do not know when or how or why. But I read this book. It all came back to me when I started reading it for the ring/ray... So I really saw no point in reading it all again. It must have been in my pre-book crossing years.
Now I understand why some ppl keep track of the books they have read. 

Journal Entry 13 by chubsiewhubsie at USPS in by Post, RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Friday, December 08, 2006

This book has not been rated.

Released 5 yrs ago (12/8/2006 UTC) at USPS in by Post, RABCK -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Off to thursday5... next in line,enjoy. 

Journal Entry 14 by Thursday5 from Columbus, Ohio USA on Thursday, December 14, 2006

This book has not been rated.

The book came in the mail yesterday-thanks Chubsiewubsie. Good timing- I just finished a bookring book so I can start this one right away. I spent time reguarly each summer in Xenia so I am looking forward to reading this book. 

Journal Entry 15 by Thursday5 from Columbus, Ohio USA on Monday, December 25, 2006

10 out of 10

This is one of three books I rated as a 10 this year. Beautifully written. I felt like Santymyer had captured her town in a prose that had the essence of poetry--and then she said the same in the last chapter when talking about children that grow up in a town like this: "Before they read poetry they have found the stuff of which it is made..."

I felt many connections to this book. Initially I was interested because we ride our bicycles through Xenia several times every summer on the way from Yellow Springs to Cincinnati on the old railroad lines that have been made into "rail trails". We often stop at the courthouse for a rest before going to the "depot" where several rail trails intersect. Once I stayed in Xenia overnight at the fairgrounds on GOBA (Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure) and was entertained by local bands at the pavillion, so I was interested in the chapter that tells about the old swamp in this location.

The deepest connection I found to this book wasn't to the location, or to the "small town in Ohio" (I live in one), but to how Helen Hooven Santmyer remembers experiencing her childhood. I felt like I have met a kindred spirit. It is not so much that I had similar experiences (I did have some), but in how she experienced that life as --and the best way I can describe it is-- poetry. I think perhaps it was the access to nature that helped her to see life this way-or perhaps it is just who she was.

Will PM guinaveve so I can send it on to Xenia! 

Journal Entry 16 by guinaveve from Mason, Ohio USA on Saturday, December 30, 2006

This book has not been rated.

Thank you to labmomnm for starting this ray and to everyone else for sending it along to get to me. From reading the journal entries, it sounds like I will really enjoy it. I now live in Ohio in a medium sized town, and grew up in small towns in the state next door, Indiana.
I plan to wild release this in Xenia when I am finished. Thursday5 was kind enough to let me know that she is also close to Xenia and could wild release it there if I can't get to it for awhile. It sounds like it will make it to Xenia one way or another.
Thanks 

Journal Entry 17 by guinaveve from Mason, Ohio USA on Monday, January 01, 2007

This book has not been rated.

This is a picture of cover art I uploaded from Amazon.com. I couldn't find the cover of the book I actually have in hand, so this is a cover from a different edition.
This edition appears to have been printed in the mid-1980s. Checking the copyright info in the front it states that this book was first published in 1956, and printed again in 1961, 1962, 1984, and 1985. According to Amazon.com it was also printed in 1998. I had never heard of it though and am excited to be reading it now. I have read chapter one so far and am going to start chapter two now. 

Journal Entry 18 by guinaveve from Mason, Ohio USA on Friday, January 05, 2007

This book has not been rated.

I am so pleased to have been included in this bookray. There was so much I could relate to although I grew up in small towns in Ohio's neighbor, Indiana, and did not live in Ohio until I was grown. There was so much more that was different, yet no less interesting, because this was written about a time when my grandparents were children, maybe even before that.

I have the privelege of being able to wild release this book in the town of which it was written about. I am sure much has changed since this book was written about Xenia. The author speaks of numerous changes in her lifetime. I am still eager to go to Xenia and walk around the streets mentioned, see if I can spot any of the familiar buildings or sites mentioned in the book, probably take my camera. There were many old houses mentioned and a cemetary that I may happen upon. I wonder if any of the covered bridges are still there? Regardless, I love the idea of wandering through the town I have now read about. I intend to hold onto this book for a bit waiting for a nice leisurely day when I can go to Xenia, maybe have some lunch and explore with my youngest child who is not in school yet.
Hopefully someone from Xenia will pick it up and enjoy it or give it to someone who will. I have toyed with the idea of contacting the town paper regarding the spot I will release it in, see if there is any interest in a bookcrossing newspaper article based on the hometown appeal of the book and author. Maybe... 

Journal Entry 19 by guinaveve from Mason, Ohio USA on Saturday, January 05, 2008

This book has not been rated.

I emailed the newspaper in Xenia and let them know that I would be leaving this in or around their office. I also explained a bit about bookcrossing. Maybe they will find it interesting enough to include in the paper. 

Journal Entry 20 by guinaveve at Newspaper office (Greene County Dailies) in Xenia, Ohio USA on Saturday, January 05, 2008

This book has not been rated.

Released 4 yrs ago (1/5/2008 UTC) at Newspaper office (Greene County Dailies) in Xenia, Ohio USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

This book was left for someone to find. You can make a journal entry on this to let the person who left it know it has been found. It is free and anonymous! 

Journal Entry 21 by maid-of-all from Xenia, Ohio USA on Tuesday, January 15, 2008

This book has not been rated.

I have retrieved the book and will start reading ASAP. Thanks so much for leaving the book in a bag. IT was fun retrieving it! Just down the street a large group of teenagers were leaving the cofee shop and I'm sure they wondered what a woman was doing jumping out, running over to the book, and the jumping back in the vehicle. All in the pouring rain. It was great fun! 



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