Review of I Have Calluses on My Hands
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- Latest Review: I Have Calluses on My Hands by Neil Henry
Review of I Have Calluses on My Hands
[Following is a volunteer review of "I Have Calluses on My Hands" by Neil Henry.]
I Have Calluses on My Hands by Neil Henry is an intimate memoir of the life and times of his father, Harold Henry. The book is a historical record of New York in the 20th century, providing an autobiographical portrayal of that era. It contains images of Harold's ancestors from that time and relevant documents like birth certificates. The general themes in the book are family, immigration, entrepreneurship, social change, and the graceful transition from the wagon days to modern life, told through the lens of a Jewish American family.
During this era, a common occurrence was anti-semitism, which is the hostility to or prejudice against Jewish people. For this immigrant Jewish family to avoid this, Harold recounts how his family had to change their names. He gave examples of how his maternal grandmother changed her name from Gertrude Leschnick to Gertrude Lesser and so on. Harold also details his family's business adventures. His father established a furniture-moving business where he used horses and wagons to move goods from one location to another. He later grew his business to the point where he used trucks. His mother handled the finances and scheduling of the appointments within the business, while his father dealt with physically demanding jobs, including hiring workers to help. He also details the issues within the family and the rifts in the family relationships.
It was heartwarming to read about all of these things. I also found it quite touching that Harold thought of creating such a meaningful book about his family that could be passed down through generations. This will help keep the family name alive and the bond in place. The images added were also helpful. I always wondered what the older versions of the things we have now looked like, and I was happy this book helped me have this experience. I loved how transparent the book was, sharing both the good and the bad sides, including traumas, with the readers. Through Harold and Esther's story, I found something important. Harold and Esther dated for 10 years, and when they got married, funds were low, and Esther immediately levelled up and brought in the majority of the income. In modern days, if a man's income is not sufficient, we find that the ladies leave the marriage instead of being the support system in the partnership that marriage is.
The book is a slow-burning read and could be boring to some people since it contains historical details; however, this cannot be fixed since the book relays details of real-life events of real people and not fictional characters. Overall, I rate this book five out of five stars, and I commend the resilient spirit of the family members. This book is ideal for readers of immigration stories, Jewish memoirs, and family historians.
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I Have Calluses on My Hands
View: on Bookshelves
I Have Calluses on My Hands by Neil Henry is an intimate memoir of the life and times of his father, Harold Henry. The book is a historical record of New York in the 20th century, providing an autobiographical portrayal of that era. It contains images of Harold's ancestors from that time and relevant documents like birth certificates. The general themes in the book are family, immigration, entrepreneurship, social change, and the graceful transition from the wagon days to modern life, told through the lens of a Jewish American family.
During this era, a common occurrence was anti-semitism, which is the hostility to or prejudice against Jewish people. For this immigrant Jewish family to avoid this, Harold recounts how his family had to change their names. He gave examples of how his maternal grandmother changed her name from Gertrude Leschnick to Gertrude Lesser and so on. Harold also details his family's business adventures. His father established a furniture-moving business where he used horses and wagons to move goods from one location to another. He later grew his business to the point where he used trucks. His mother handled the finances and scheduling of the appointments within the business, while his father dealt with physically demanding jobs, including hiring workers to help. He also details the issues within the family and the rifts in the family relationships.
It was heartwarming to read about all of these things. I also found it quite touching that Harold thought of creating such a meaningful book about his family that could be passed down through generations. This will help keep the family name alive and the bond in place. The images added were also helpful. I always wondered what the older versions of the things we have now looked like, and I was happy this book helped me have this experience. I loved how transparent the book was, sharing both the good and the bad sides, including traumas, with the readers. Through Harold and Esther's story, I found something important. Harold and Esther dated for 10 years, and when they got married, funds were low, and Esther immediately levelled up and brought in the majority of the income. In modern days, if a man's income is not sufficient, we find that the ladies leave the marriage instead of being the support system in the partnership that marriage is.
The book is a slow-burning read and could be boring to some people since it contains historical details; however, this cannot be fixed since the book relays details of real-life events of real people and not fictional characters. Overall, I rate this book five out of five stars, and I commend the resilient spirit of the family members. This book is ideal for readers of immigration stories, Jewish memoirs, and family historians.
******
I Have Calluses on My Hands
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: I Have Calluses on My Hands by Neil Henry
