Review by Ferdinand_otieno -- Dibs and Dabs of my Life

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Dibs and Dabs of my Life" by Gertrude Coulter.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Dibs and Dabs of my Life by Gertrude Coulter is a non-fiction memoir. The book highlights the author's upbringing in a different generation. The book was published by WestBow Press in 2017. The author seeks to convince the reader that the era of her upbringing was the best of times.

Gertrude Coulter was born on March 15, 1927. The nurse had told her mother that twin boys were on their way, but there was only Gertrude and her brother James. They were released from the hospital and went home. They lived with their grandfather at the time. It was not unusual for married couples to live with their parents until they could afford a house of their own. Her grandfather had a chicken yard in the back. Having fried chicken was an ordeal, but it was also quite the treat for the family. Every July 26, her grandfather had a family reunion with his four brothers. They had an ice man who would visit each day to leave ice. The purchase of an electric refrigerator was an event. The family attended Rebecca Memorial Methodist Church. Her grandfather was an engineer for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. The author elaborates how food was so cheap that one would think that everyone could eat, but there were some who did not have enough money to buy food. People would go door to door, begging for food. The author reveals how in those days there were no shopping centres or malls. Their grandmother would take all of them to a store to shop for clothes and shoes for the coming season. Every Monday was wash day. They had graduated from a washboard to an electric washing machine with a wringer. It was an all-day event to get all the washing done. The author marvels at how safe it was for children to travel by themselves using public transportation. What other things might the author have experienced? What other differences does she highlight? These questions will be answered in this amazing book.

This was an extremely hilarious book. The author recalls how her brother tried to wring a chicken's neck like their grandmother. When he released the chicken, thinking he had been successful, the chicken ran through the fence to the neighbouring field. The entire family had to chase the chicken down. The author also reveals how she nearly got suspended from school for writing a funny poem about the school. Her brother can be said to be the only child who confessed to a crime no one suspected him of. That he dragged his sister into the punishment was hilarious. I also got to learn a lot from that era. I learned that it was compulsory for boys in their graduating class to enlist in branches of the armed forces just before their eighteenth birthdays so that they could get their choice of the branch of service. I also learned that one could not be a teacher and also be married. The cultural and technological differences were startling.

The main theme I encountered in this book was humour. The author highlights some of the funniest moments of her life through her story. She had been allowed to only iron men's underwear during wash day. Her poem about the school they were attending had me laughing uncontrollably. I loved the passive-aggressive sermon by Brother Lewis. Another major theme I encountered was hard work. Her grandfather decided to sell chickens from door to door when he had been laid off from his normal work. The author had a lot of jobs when she was young. This hard-working mentality followed her as she grew. I encountered themes like friendship, loyalty, love, betrayal, growth, grief, and culture. The author used these themes masterfully to make the story captivating.

I rated the book 4 out of 4 stars. This is because I found the story flowing effortlessly. I was engrossed in the author's story from the first paragraph of the book. There was never a dull moment in the book. The humour played a major part in making the story amazing. It was original and refreshing. I encountered a few punctuation errors. This led me to believe that the book was professionally edited. The errors did not factor into my rating. I loved every aspect of the book. The only thing that I disliked about this book was how short it was.

I would recommend this book to non-fiction fans. The book would also appeal to readers who enjoy reading humour and historical fiction. This book was written masterfully. Any reader could easily get lost in the author's life. This is an amazing attribute for a non-fiction book. I hope I get to read more books from the author.

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Dibs and Dabs of my Life
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[Ferdinand_Otieno]

I have read a book on the American Civil War, a book about the Native Americans, and a science fiction book based on a possible near future. The question of which times can be considered the best is a headache waiting to happen. In this book, I longed for the author's time. I did the same for the Native American time and that of the near future. I think this question of the best of times calls to adventurous souls.

[Cleis]

This book sounds very nostalgic! I am surprised she wanted to argue that her upbringing was the best of times, as she would have grown up during The Great Depression! I can't imagine anyone arguing that kids should learn to withstand those conditions, especially since she remarks people went door to door begging for food. I don't think that I would choose to read this book because I disagree with the idea that things were better in America's past, but I do appreciate the kind of nostalgia she talks about (like getting an ice block delivered - funky!). Thanks for reviewing!

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

She actually says that that experience made her stronger. The book is worth reading because while there are millions of other views on this time period (it sounds like I'm taking about the ice age), her unique 'personal' experience comes off as hilarious. No mobile phones, malls, and having easy access to real estate, these are foreign concepts now. The author actually moved into "seven" houses, seven!

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

I also noted that no cars were created while the war continued. You were stuck with whatever you had before the war started.