Official Review: Dibs and Dabs of my Life

[Mercelle]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dibs and Dabs of my Life" by Gertrude Coulter.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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I am enjoying all the changes that society has provided, yet I still think that I grew up in the best of times.

Above is the closing statement to Gertrude Coulter's Dibs and Dabs of my Life. In this non-fiction book, she recounts her life journey, commencing with her arrival into this world, all through to her post-retirement years.

The author's childhood was one filled with activity, joy, and laughter as she grew up in the forties, a time when cell phones and tablets didn't exist. Then, the streets were safe to walk at night and children had to be creative when it came to entertaining themselves. She and her brothers always had something up their sleeves, even getting suspended from school one time. The most memorable bit from her childhood was when the chicken they were to slaughter for dinner flew away, and the whole family had to chase it. These crazy stories are ones many of today's children will never be able to tell, as they live sheltered and sedentary lives.

Through her relationship with her family, the author emphasizes the importance of strong family values. She often interacted with members of her extended family and picked up valuable life lessons from them. Her grandfather instilled in her the discipline of hard work, and her mother, amongst other things, taught her how to crochet. I could tell that the author has a big heart as she was genuinely happy when those around her progressed. The family members also stuck together in times of hardship and in times of grief. After a traumatic divorce, the author decided to pick up the pieces. She got a college degree and became an accomplished teacher, all while raising her children on her own. From this, she iterates that it's necessary to walk away from a potentially dangerous situation.

As this book has only 5-star ratings on Amazon, I had high hopes going in. I can report that it met my expectations; leaving me with a smile on my face. I was especially pleased that the author narrated over eighty years of her life in sixty-two pages, and I didn't feel like I missed anything. The book reads like an essay and is one continuous story without breaks. The language is simple, making it a quick read; easily consumed in one sitting. I also liked that the author put things in perspective by comparing and contrasting previous conditions to what they are currently. She also sprinkled black and white photographs of her family throughout the book, and I enjoyed putting faces to the names.

The editor did a great job, as this book is virtually error-free. For this reason, it deserves a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It's a book I'll recommend to anyone looking for a quick read, lovers of memoirs, and anyone who grew up in the simpler times.

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Dibs and Dabs of my Life
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like Mercy Bolo's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Manang Muyang]

I am impressed with the author's memory. I doubt if I'll be able to remember much of my childhood at eighty. Blame it on the cell phones, lol!

Thanks for the short and sweet review!

[Marissa Michael]

Wow! This is the type of memoir that I will find joy in reading about the simplicity of life back then. I trust your judgement in this. Thanks for your insightful review!

[crediblereading2]

It would be so beautiful if everyone strives to recapture the values of those olden days. The older generation should endeavor to teach the younger ones how to value themselves. Thank you for a wonderful review of this book.

[library500]

Stories of this nature are a gem, in my opinion. There is so much the younger generation can learn from older folks who are willing to share their experiences. Thank you for the review, I definitely think i will enjoy reading this book

[gali]

A memoir chronicling the life of a woman during the forties and up to now sounds intriguing,. Awesome that she managed to narrated eighty years in sixty-two pages. That the book was well-edited is to her credit. Adding black and white photographs makes her story more relatable. Thank you for the review!

[Ruba Abu Ali]

Sounds like an uplifting and inspiring memoir! Thanks for the excellent review.

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

This is a memoir that details the era, hardship, and lifestyle the author lived through. The book is riddled with amazing humorous stories that will entertain all readers. I loved the OnlineBookClub review, and I rated the book 4 out of 4 stars. Congrats on being the BOTD.

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

This is a memoir that details the era, hardship, and lifestyle the author lived through. The book is riddled with amazing humorous stories that will entertain all readers. I loved the OnlineBookClub review, and I rated the book 4 out of 4 stars. Congrats on being the BOTD.

[Strangerthanfiction]

This sounds like a wonderful memoir. The author’s memories of growing up in the simpler times of the 1940’s along with the lesson of the importance of family and all of the experiences of eighty years makes this book intriguing. The fact that all of this is in only sixty-two pages is another big draw for me. Congrats to the author on a terrific review. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Elizabeth Pass]

This sounds very sweet. I enjoyed listening to my grandmother's stories before she passed. It would have been nice to have a book like this to remember her by.

[cpru68]

I find it amazing when people put their life story into a book because it becomes a valuable piece of history for the family. It sounds like the author went through a lot, but she remained strong and has lived a great life. Thanks for the insightful review. Looks good!

[Shelby Graves]

This is a great review! I can not help but think of the stories my own grandmother has told me about her growing up. The review makes this seem like a very nice read, and I'm sure that it is.

[Amy+++]

It's a very sweet story. And is also a great way to show the others inbher family how much she loves them by talking about them and what she learned from them.

[skindrukas]

Memoirs are my thing. Good memoirs I can't resist. This book seems to be that. I love to read about growing up when cell phones were not there yet. I grew up without one too but my classmates all had them. I wander if we will finally understand how to not use our smartphones too much. Sometimes I miss people that are near...