I originally picked this book because I liked the title, “WE HOPE FOR BETTER THINGS”.

I thought to myself, don’t we all hope for better things. I had no idea really where this book was going to lead me. I was very much surprised and glad I took it off the shelf. That’s what libraries are about in my mind. This is an interesting story about 3 generations of women living very parallel lives. Yet, each new generation that came along knew nothing about the previous generation lives. No one in the family had ever spoke of them.

The question is why? These were just ordinary women living during some very historic times coping the best they can. The first generation in this story starts during the Civil War. The first women in this story marries and moves away with her husband to an old family home. Each of the following women also end up in this old family home. Little by little bits of history and family stories begin to appear. Secrets are discovered, old graves are found, ways of life are found out about, and the present family is not happy about any of these discoveries.

This is a story that shows us how historical events during our lifetime can change the way we live. Yet even though these women live in different generations, they live pretty much the same life. What is going on here? During these years the country is changing and growing, becoming more modern, yet these women continue to live copycat lives without even knowing each other. What is going on here?

I really liked this book and I think you will too. We now live in a generation where we can turn to the internet and look up all sorts of things about our past family history. We can build our family trees and search records and find out kind of interesting things about our families. I know there have been some things found that families wish they hadn’t found at all. What do you know about your family?

See you in the library, Jan Baker