OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of ""Whats Your Favorite Song?"" by G. Ross Kelly.]

That too, was a fundamental belief that began with Mother and Dad, and filtered down to each of us. No matter the odds, no matter the circumstance, working together, obstacles can and will be overcome. The show must go on.

In this winning piece of Americana, "What's Your Favorite Song?": The Life, Family and Music of George and Emma Kelly, author G. Ross Kelly gives a true life account about the sizable family in which he grew up, the love and principles that held them together, and the music they're known for, especially through the nationally acclaimed Emma Kelly, the musician and entertainer dubbed by the famous songwriter Johnny Mercer as "The Lady of 6,000 Songs."

The author conveys a strong sense of familial identity throughout his telling of his family's story, from the history and marriage of his parents, George and Emma, and right on through to their ever-expanding legacy. It seems near impossible that during the Great Depression years and World War II, a husband and wife in south Georgia could raise and support a family—one that would steadily increase to ten children—through the husband's sign-making business and the mother's local musical gigs. Yet, in his simple style and warm voice, the author describes his parents doing just that, Emma working her money-saving savvy and gradually drawing her children onto the stage to perform with her as they grow up, and George working faithfully behind the scenes to hold the ordered frenzy of his active family together.

U.S. history, from the creation of the United Services Organization (the USO) to the country's involvement in the Cold War and more, is well woven into this narrative that flows from the heights of Emma's performances for national dignitaries down to the everyday scramble of the Kelly children, including the pulling of shared socks of all sizes out of their home's communal "sock box." Still, what's particularly compelling about the work is the author's reflection on the character of his two parents—the straightforward standards his father trusted his children to live by and his mother's heart for others, how she touched so many people's lives through one question: "What's your favorite song?"

The book is chock-full of photographs, a plus for any work of this kind. However, besides the older labels that appear on a few of the photographs, none of them are captioned; though it's pretty easy to identify George and Emma, readers mayn't make much of a connection with many of the photographs without captions to let them know who exactly the other pictured people are. Also, the book could have used tighter editing for minor but rather numerous inconsistencies: proper nouns appearing with and without capitalization, apostrophes sometimes used in the plural form of "the Kellys," incorrect formatting of some specific times (e.g.: "10:00 o'clock," which technically reads "ten o'clock o'clock"), and other issues.

Overall, I give "What's Your Favorite Song?" a rating of 3 out of 4 stars, as, even with its minor flaws, it shines as a tribute to two devoted people, the family they raised together, and, again, the legacy they've left behind for generations. I'd recommend this book to biography and memoir enthusiasts as well as to readers who enjoy heartwarming stories about family. Also, as something of a side note, I think this book would make a wonderful documentary.

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"Whats Your Favorite Song?"
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Like NadineTimes10's review? Post a comment saying so!

Nice review! Not really my type of book though.

Rachaelamb1 wrote:Nice review! Not really my type of book though.

I personally read a whole lot more fiction than nonfiction, but this book sounded like it'd be, well, precious. Thanks for reading!

Great review! The Kellys sound like an interesting couple. I want to read the book just to find out how they supported all those kids during the Depression! I just finished a book that took place during the Depression. It made me want to learn more about how people made ends meet at the time.

bookowlie wrote:Great review! The Kellys sound like an interesting couple. I want to read the book just to find out how they supported all those kids during the Depression! I just finished a book that took place during the Depression. It made me want to learn more about how people made ends meet at the time.

Thanks! It was one of those experiences that made me feel like, "How could I have not heard of them before?" And yes, how this family and others managed to get on during the Depression is something else. Reading some of this was like watching The Waltons.

What did you think of the title of the book? Without reading a summary I would have had no idea what this was about. Did you think the title added or took away something from the book?

Michelle-lit wrote:What did you think of the title of the book? Without reading a summary I would have had no idea what this was about. Did you think the title added or took away something from the book?

Ah! Interesting question.

I think books like this benefit from having a clarifying subtitle (this one's being The Life, Family and Music of George and Emma Kelly), and the fact that the title is asking a rhetorical but direct, and pretty universal, question of readers who come across it adds to the book, in my opinion. Being asked a "you" or "your" question right off the bat can draw readers by giving them an immediate inkling that they should answer what they're being asked.

Thanks for reading!

I see. It definitely needed that subtitle, but it is quite small. If I saw this book in the store, I probably would have passed it, but you're right. I think others would have felt a compulsion to answer the question.

Honestly, I would've passed on the book too, as the cover wouldn't have caught my attention, but fortunately I saw just the title first.

NadineTimes10 wrote:

Michelle-lit wrote:What did you think of the title of the book? Without reading a summary I would have had no idea what this was about. Did you think the title added or took away something from the book?

Ah! Interesting question.

I think books like this benefit from having a clarifying subtitle (this one's being The Life, Family and Music of George and Emma Kelly), and the fact that the title is asking a rhetorical but direct, and pretty universal, question of readers who come across it adds to the book, in my opinion. Being asked a "you" or "your" question right off the bat can draw readers by giving them an immediate inkling that they should answer what they're being asked.

Thanks for reading!

I also thought the title made me think the book was going to be about something else, like songs of different eras.
NadineTimes10, I agree with you that sometimes question-style titles can be attention grabbers. However, in this case I thought the title took something away from the book.

-- 18 May 2015, 12:00 --

bookowlie wrote:I also thought the title made me think the book was going to be about something else, like songs of different eras.
NadineTimes10, I agree with you that sometimes question-style titles can be attention grabbers. However, in this case I thought the title took something away from the book.

-- 18 May 2015, 12:00 --

Interesting to think about, so now I wonder how the book and title will fare in the long run. Hopefully the title will have the same effect on many readers as it has on me!