Doshia's Valley

by Frances H. Owen

213 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Sidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book holds a special place in my heart, as the author happens to be my grandmother. I received my own copy when I was 12, with a note written to me under the dedication. Now at 17, I finally read it cover to cover for the first time. I’m so incredibly glad to have read it fully before she passes, as she is now not as young as she once was. She told me a few years ago that many of the stories from Doshia’s childhood were actually her own, and reading them now in the context of their original setting makes the book even more captivating. I see a lot of my grandmother in Doshia, in the way she acts, how she carries herself, and the anxiety she struggles with. We even still live in North Mississippi. The only difference is my grandmother places a high priority on good grammar and hiding her accent as much as possible. Although this book could not have been dedicated to me due to my not being born, I feel as though she wrote it as much for me as for her other granddaughter. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did, and I hope it makes you feel as strong a connection with your home as Doshia and I have with ours.