Review of I Have Calluses on My Hands
Posted: 31 Dec 2022, 20:49
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "I Have Calluses on My Hands" by Neil Henry.]
Growing up as a young man, Neil Henry envisioned his future when he would be old. So, he instinctively believed that his nature would demand that he look back into his early and present days of life. Then, he decided to collaborate with his father, Harold Henry, to begin the production of the record of his life, starting with the family ancestors, Neil's great-grandparents. Hence, he compiled the book I Have Calluses on My Hands.
I Have Calluses on My Hands: The Life and Times of Harold Henry is written in the first-person perspective of Harold Henry, while his son, Neil Henry, edited and augmented it for completeness and easy comprehension for the readers of today. While Neil was born in 1945, Harold, his father, was born in 1911.
After reading this book, I believed that the book would meet Neil's passion, fulfilling his want to have a record with which he can look into his early days and recollect some childhood memories which he might not be able to recollect when he's old already. And sincerely, the book makes a vital and informative family journal, which is not only for Neil but also for the entire family members, to trace the history of the family as far back as their great-grandparents.
The book starts with the historical records of Neil's paternal and maternal great-grandfathers, Philip Henry and Bernard Utahl, respectively, back in the 19th century. Hannah Brill is Neil's paternal great-grandmother, while Gertrude Leschick is his maternal great-grandmother. From the book, it is revealed that Neil's ancestors emigrated from Russia and Germany. This is different from New York, which is now the current residence of the family. It is evident as Philip emigrated from England and Hanna from Russia.
I love the sincerity with which Neil's father, Harold, tells his life history, and this sincerity oozes out from his tone and is evident in his judgment of some data he gave as backups to events he described. For example, while he made sure he showed pictures of objects and family possessions, such as a golden watch, an expensive pen, houses, and others, where there is no real picture of a particular object to show, he showed a similar object that resembles the type described. I love this idea in the book, as it makes sure I continue to enjoy it and hold onto my belief in the writer's sincerity. This is because one reason that motivates me to desire to read the book is to see old technologies and objects as compared to their modern versions, especially cars and a particular bathtub. Harold also didn't just emphasize his achievements and happy moments; he also included his regrets and his limitations in terms of financial resources and academics in his early life.
The book is carefully written and has a clear tone and easy-to-understand word choices. It is professionally edited, as I only came across two grammar errors in the whole 153 pages of the book. Since I don't have anything to dislike in this book, it earns a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. And I'd love to recommend it to lovers of biographies, autobiographies, and American history because they will love their educational and informative encounters.
******
I Have Calluses on My Hands
View: on Bookshelves
Growing up as a young man, Neil Henry envisioned his future when he would be old. So, he instinctively believed that his nature would demand that he look back into his early and present days of life. Then, he decided to collaborate with his father, Harold Henry, to begin the production of the record of his life, starting with the family ancestors, Neil's great-grandparents. Hence, he compiled the book I Have Calluses on My Hands.
I Have Calluses on My Hands: The Life and Times of Harold Henry is written in the first-person perspective of Harold Henry, while his son, Neil Henry, edited and augmented it for completeness and easy comprehension for the readers of today. While Neil was born in 1945, Harold, his father, was born in 1911.
After reading this book, I believed that the book would meet Neil's passion, fulfilling his want to have a record with which he can look into his early days and recollect some childhood memories which he might not be able to recollect when he's old already. And sincerely, the book makes a vital and informative family journal, which is not only for Neil but also for the entire family members, to trace the history of the family as far back as their great-grandparents.
The book starts with the historical records of Neil's paternal and maternal great-grandfathers, Philip Henry and Bernard Utahl, respectively, back in the 19th century. Hannah Brill is Neil's paternal great-grandmother, while Gertrude Leschick is his maternal great-grandmother. From the book, it is revealed that Neil's ancestors emigrated from Russia and Germany. This is different from New York, which is now the current residence of the family. It is evident as Philip emigrated from England and Hanna from Russia.
I love the sincerity with which Neil's father, Harold, tells his life history, and this sincerity oozes out from his tone and is evident in his judgment of some data he gave as backups to events he described. For example, while he made sure he showed pictures of objects and family possessions, such as a golden watch, an expensive pen, houses, and others, where there is no real picture of a particular object to show, he showed a similar object that resembles the type described. I love this idea in the book, as it makes sure I continue to enjoy it and hold onto my belief in the writer's sincerity. This is because one reason that motivates me to desire to read the book is to see old technologies and objects as compared to their modern versions, especially cars and a particular bathtub. Harold also didn't just emphasize his achievements and happy moments; he also included his regrets and his limitations in terms of financial resources and academics in his early life.
The book is carefully written and has a clear tone and easy-to-understand word choices. It is professionally edited, as I only came across two grammar errors in the whole 153 pages of the book. Since I don't have anything to dislike in this book, it earns a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. And I'd love to recommend it to lovers of biographies, autobiographies, and American history because they will love their educational and informative encounters.
******
I Have Calluses on My Hands
View: on Bookshelves