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The Meaning of Names by Karen Shoemaker
A German-American woman copes with a pandemic, and her neighbors’ hostility during the Great War, in “a heart-rending story of endurance” ( Historical Novel Society ). Stuart, Nebraska is a long way from the battlefields of Western Europe, but it is not immune to the horrors of the first Great War for Peace. Like all communities, it has lost sons and daughters to the fighting, with many more giving themselves over to the hatred only war can engender.Set in 1918 in the farm country at the heart of America, The Meaning of Names is the story of an ordinary woman trying to raise a family during extraordinary times. Estranged from her parents because she married against their will, confronted with violence and prejudice against her people, and caught up in the midst of the worst plague the world has ever seen, Gerda Vogel, an American of German descent, must find the strength to keep her family safe from the effects of a war that threatens to consume the whole world. “Suddenly, ‘liberty cabbage’ replaces ‘sauerkraut’ on food menus, job advertisements warn ‘no krauts need apply,’ and neighbors demand the nearby university stop teaching courses in ‘that vile language’. . . . Shoemaker crafts eminently realistic characters; her descriptions of unreasonable fear and hatred are particularly effective.” — Publishers Weekly
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First published March 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
September 26, 2014
Gerta suffers a tragedy when she is young, one that will haunt her throughout her life. Leaving West Point, against the wishes of her father, she marries Fritz and they buy a farm, settling in Stuart, Nebraska.
The year is 1918 and the farming life is a hard one. With four young children Greta is constantly busy, inside and outside the house. Yet their family is strong, but is it strong enough to withstand the draft when Fritz's name come up and when anti-German sentiment rears its ugly head in their small town? Soon German families are leaving but Fritz and Greta stay, not wanting to give up something for which they have worked so hard.
The characters in this novel are so very real, from the hardworking doctor to the young fervent priest taking over the parish church. This is a novel of a small town, all its characters, its prejudices, families helping families often at great risk to themselves. It is the best and worst of small towns and the prejudices of its people. Hard work and the joys and sorrows of families. Soon however, they will be confronted with something that will enact a higher toll than war and prejudice, one they will have few weapons against.
A beautifully written novel, emotionally stirring and greatly representative of a time and place. So happy I found and read this wonderful book.
The year is 1918 and the farming life is a hard one. With four young children Greta is constantly busy, inside and outside the house. Yet their family is strong, but is it strong enough to withstand the draft when Fritz's name come up and when anti-German sentiment rears its ugly head in their small town? Soon German families are leaving but Fritz and Greta stay, not wanting to give up something for which they have worked so hard.
The characters in this novel are so very real, from the hardworking doctor to the young fervent priest taking over the parish church. This is a novel of a small town, all its characters, its prejudices, families helping families often at great risk to themselves. It is the best and worst of small towns and the prejudices of its people. Hard work and the joys and sorrows of families. Soon however, they will be confronted with something that will enact a higher toll than war and prejudice, one they will have few weapons against.
A beautifully written novel, emotionally stirring and greatly representative of a time and place. So happy I found and read this wonderful book.
October 22, 2014
Sigh....
Great book. You can tell that this was of a time and place that is very special to the author, and I'm guessing it is based on her own family. The characters drove the story during a time of twin turmoils in America's history, 1918. The first world war against Germany was turning the small town of Stuart, Nebraska, on its end with non-Germans becoming hostile against neighboring German Americans, even second generation Germans. The Spanish flu pandemic then turned the nation on its back, literally.
One of my favorite times in history and one of my favorite subject matters. Very enjoyable.
Great book. You can tell that this was of a time and place that is very special to the author, and I'm guessing it is based on her own family. The characters drove the story during a time of twin turmoils in America's history, 1918. The first world war against Germany was turning the small town of Stuart, Nebraska, on its end with non-Germans becoming hostile against neighboring German Americans, even second generation Germans. The Spanish flu pandemic then turned the nation on its back, literally.
One of my favorite times in history and one of my favorite subject matters. Very enjoyable.
June 23, 2014
Smaller presses are great. They put out tons of wonderful material every year. But the most captivating and well-worked stories often end up with the larger presses. It's as simple as survival of the fittest (or influence of the richest). There are always exceptions, of course. One notable exception in 2014 is Karen Gettert Shoemaker's The Meaning of Names. This little novel can go head to head with the big boys. It's eloquent, passionate, and entertaining. If you're wanting to get a head start on the year's best fiction, especially if you're in the market for historical fiction, check this one out.
The Meaning of Names is the story of Stuart, Nebraska in 1918. Anti-German sentiments are sweeping the country, as is a deadly strain of influenza. The first chapter pulled me right in. After that, it took a little time for the story to build up, but once it did, it was well worth the wait. The characters are believable. The storyline is interesting. The setting is vivid. The tension is great. But the element that stood out the most to me was the language. Shoemaker weaves some beautiful sentences that come together to create fabulous scenes. Despite the grit of the plains and the spread of a pandemic, I enjoyed being wrapped up in the world Shoemaker molded.
The Meaning of Names is the story of Stuart, Nebraska in 1918. Anti-German sentiments are sweeping the country, as is a deadly strain of influenza. The first chapter pulled me right in. After that, it took a little time for the story to build up, but once it did, it was well worth the wait. The characters are believable. The storyline is interesting. The setting is vivid. The tension is great. But the element that stood out the most to me was the language. Shoemaker weaves some beautiful sentences that come together to create fabulous scenes. Despite the grit of the plains and the spread of a pandemic, I enjoyed being wrapped up in the world Shoemaker molded.
July 11, 2014
How do I start this review. There is so much to say. At how the sentences flow gently together like poetry. How the stories of Gerda and Dr. Gannoway are knitted together leading to the stories' conclusion. At the strength of the story-telling, and how the plot propels one forward, so interested in the lives of the characters--a character-driven story in which the reader melds into the story because the author's presence is barely noticeably. This is a novel that should be received with wide-spread serious attention when awards are handed out. It is a literary classic without the handle of Midwestern American literature. Without over-stating, this is American literature at its best; as good as Cather, Updike, Steinbeck, Yates, Roth.
March 18, 2014
The best praise I think anyone can give a book is when they say they forget they were reading one. With this one, I did get that kind of wrapped up. The characters, what they feel for each other and the menaces that threaten them, seemed so real. It was pretty jarring to look up at the end and realize I was sitting on my bed, that Gerda and everyone else remained on the page. It tears you up to get that involved in a story when dark clouds are on the horizon, but it's also euphoric when the joys arrive. In any event, reading this one was definitely an experience for me. It's a beautiful novel and Nebraska should be proud.
February 19, 2015
Beautiful book with endearing characters. There are many disturbing parallels in this historical fiction to the discrimination immigrants (of color) are facing today. It's proof of how history repeats itself when forgotten. The story took a turn I wasn't expecting. I enjoyed most of the book though the chapters about the priest and doctor didn't seem productive to the plot. The plot lines did run together in the end however. Overall definitely a worthwhile,compelling and beautiful story and history lesson. Great for book club discussion.
February 15, 2015
I was initially drawn to Karen Shoemaker’s book when I saw the cover on a friend’s Facebook page. An ominous storm gathering on the Nebraska plains, where the horizon is all sky. Beautiful and dark. And since it was published by Red Hen Press, who just published my friend’s eponymously titled book, The Gaffer, I decided to read it. I’m an old Nebraska gal myself.
Set in 1918-1919 in rural Nebraska, we follow Gerda, who farms outside of Stuart, Nebraska with her husband and children. Gerda becomes a fully-rendered character, a timeless woman, as she reconciles the choices she’s made: between her husband and her family of origin, between love and financial status, between religious dictates and her heart. At the same time, she wrestles with conditions outside of her control. The war overseas visits German immigrants in unexpected and hurtful ways at the same time virulent influenza sweeps the nation. Both things leave their marks on Gerda’s family, and all families during that place and time. We see how these forces impact other characters as well – my favorites were a small town doctor and a new priest.
Like all good novels, the tension builds and we become more deeply invested in the characters over time. The writing is gorgeous, and the weather serves as almost another character. The ending is wonderful; a true study of fear, foreboding and faith. Well-researched facts are seamlessly woven into the story. It left me thinking a lot about my own ancestors who were in the same places, at the same times, and who must have shared these experiences, although their stories are now lost. Karen's book has restored something of them for me.
Set in 1918-1919 in rural Nebraska, we follow Gerda, who farms outside of Stuart, Nebraska with her husband and children. Gerda becomes a fully-rendered character, a timeless woman, as she reconciles the choices she’s made: between her husband and her family of origin, between love and financial status, between religious dictates and her heart. At the same time, she wrestles with conditions outside of her control. The war overseas visits German immigrants in unexpected and hurtful ways at the same time virulent influenza sweeps the nation. Both things leave their marks on Gerda’s family, and all families during that place and time. We see how these forces impact other characters as well – my favorites were a small town doctor and a new priest.
Like all good novels, the tension builds and we become more deeply invested in the characters over time. The writing is gorgeous, and the weather serves as almost another character. The ending is wonderful; a true study of fear, foreboding and faith. Well-researched facts are seamlessly woven into the story. It left me thinking a lot about my own ancestors who were in the same places, at the same times, and who must have shared these experiences, although their stories are now lost. Karen's book has restored something of them for me.
July 29, 2014
A beautiful, poetic novel that belongs in the company of Cather and Stegner and other favorites. I hope many readers discover this one. It's a quietly brilliant gem.
June 21, 2017
Beautifully written. Great characters. Alternate Title could be: Something Bad Is Going to Happen.
April 27, 2014
Captivating. If I had to describe Karen Gettert Shoemaker's "The Meaning of Names" in one word that one word would be captivating. Full of rich prose and descriptive images I was sucked in from the first sentence. The chapters switch between Gerda, a young German housewife who was disowned by her family for marrying for love, and Dr. Ed Gannoway. At first I was a little confused but eventually the characters stories begin to intertwine and the chapter set up is proven highly effective.
This book is masterful. It's described as a book of the Great Plains and it is. I would venture to say a description like that would cause many to set the book back down because this book is "dry". There is no huge action scene. No all-encompassing romance. No incredible or fantastical heroic adventure. It details life. Every word that Shoemaker puts down on the page paints an incredible picture.
This novel weaves a delicate yet incredibly powerful tale of prejudice and just how devastating it can really be. I would highly recommend it.
This book is masterful. It's described as a book of the Great Plains and it is. I would venture to say a description like that would cause many to set the book back down because this book is "dry". There is no huge action scene. No all-encompassing romance. No incredible or fantastical heroic adventure. It details life. Every word that Shoemaker puts down on the page paints an incredible picture.
This novel weaves a delicate yet incredibly powerful tale of prejudice and just how devastating it can really be. I would highly recommend it.
May 20, 2014
This novel was written by my friend’s mother, Karen Gettert Shoemaker, and is a fictional account of her actual ancestors. Knowing a bit about how the novel was researched and written beforehand made reading it such an interesting experience!
I love how detailed this period novel, set in Nebraska during the first World War, was. It made it so easy to sink in and understand what “normal” people in the Midwest experienced during WWI. Through a German American farming family and a doctor facing a culture skeptical of medicine, this book explores the specters hanging over the America at the time: the xenophobia of German immigrants and the impending flu plague that was the worst in recorded history.
The plot did take a little while to pick up, so if you start reading this and don’t fall in love right away, give it a bit longer. I was bawling by the end, I was so attached to the characters. I can’t wait to get to meet Ms. Shoemaker next weekend so I can tell her how amazing her work is.
I love how detailed this period novel, set in Nebraska during the first World War, was. It made it so easy to sink in and understand what “normal” people in the Midwest experienced during WWI. Through a German American farming family and a doctor facing a culture skeptical of medicine, this book explores the specters hanging over the America at the time: the xenophobia of German immigrants and the impending flu plague that was the worst in recorded history.
The plot did take a little while to pick up, so if you start reading this and don’t fall in love right away, give it a bit longer. I was bawling by the end, I was so attached to the characters. I can’t wait to get to meet Ms. Shoemaker next weekend so I can tell her how amazing her work is.
December 5, 2016
One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. I took my time with it for the first 100 pages, mostly because Shoemaker's language is so gorgeous and dense that each chapter felt like a feast; I needed time to digest before moving on.
This was also a timely read--I put Nov. 4 as my start date, but I think I started reading it at the end of October. The anti-German, hyper-patriotic, xenophobic sentiment of 1917-1918 reminded me much of the toxic election season that coincided with my reading of this book. On one hand, I was comforted because I know we came out on the other side of such awful treatment of others. On the other hand, I was devastated because we simply refuse to learn from history.
I do not seek out fiction, and had this book not been on Nebraska's reading challenge, and had I not heard Shoemaker read her work on two separate occasions, I'm not sure I would have picked this one up. And that would have made my life much poorer than it is now that I've finished it. Read, read, read this book.
This was also a timely read--I put Nov. 4 as my start date, but I think I started reading it at the end of October. The anti-German, hyper-patriotic, xenophobic sentiment of 1917-1918 reminded me much of the toxic election season that coincided with my reading of this book. On one hand, I was comforted because I know we came out on the other side of such awful treatment of others. On the other hand, I was devastated because we simply refuse to learn from history.
I do not seek out fiction, and had this book not been on Nebraska's reading challenge, and had I not heard Shoemaker read her work on two separate occasions, I'm not sure I would have picked this one up. And that would have made my life much poorer than it is now that I've finished it. Read, read, read this book.
February 3, 2017
Absolutely right book, right time, right place, etc.
Stunning finish is only slightly weighed down by slowish moments in the early stages of the novel.
The most moving dedication of any book I've read.
Essential reading for any Nebraskans on the fence about the times we live in. This takes on immigration, hate, women & society, religion, the limits of science, hope, fear, community, family....
I can't convey enough how much this book comes together in the end and gives a true, emotionally resonant picture of how we're all trying to get by with the choices and struggles both in and out of our control.
5 stars
Stunning finish is only slightly weighed down by slowish moments in the early stages of the novel.
The most moving dedication of any book I've read.
Essential reading for any Nebraskans on the fence about the times we live in. This takes on immigration, hate, women & society, religion, the limits of science, hope, fear, community, family....
I can't convey enough how much this book comes together in the end and gives a true, emotionally resonant picture of how we're all trying to get by with the choices and struggles both in and out of our control.
5 stars
March 12, 2015
This is a beautifully written book. I enjoyed it on so many levels. It is set in Nebraska in 1918. I am a direct descendant of German farmers in this area, so I was really able to connect emotionally to the characters. I finished this book a couple of days ago and I am still thinking about it. My only critique is that the plot of the book could have been developed a little more fully, but the beautiful writing and wonderful characters balance the slightly meandering plot. I definitely recommend this book!
September 26, 2016
This is beautifully written. Shoemaker paints the physical and psychic landscapes so vividly. The characters are richly drawn and the novel is an important exploration of fear, prejudice, and misguided patriotism.
July 1, 2020
DURING THE GREAT WAR, DURING THE KILLING INFLUENZA.
This book, chosen as One Book One Nebraska, is well deserved, a good choice. Another great read from a midwestern author. Nebraska is Willa Cather country, one of my favorite authors. The book takes place in the year of 1918 during the Great War, the war to end all wars. It is set in the small town of Stuart, Nebraska in the Sand Hills of northern Nebraska.
Many settlers in this part of the state are German born or of German descent. German is spoken by many, the Catholic church is prominent in Stuart. However, many people hate Germans, blame them for the troubles. Try to be careful not to speak German, to try to hide who you are. The story tells of those who are living in that time and place. Many Germans are farmers, moving here to get a piece of land, trying to forget their troubles in Europe, to leave the old world behind. The story tells of Gerda and Fritz Vogel, their four children and Ed Gannoway, a dedicated physician.
Gerda and Fritz love their farm, both are hard working and teach their children, at a very early age, to work hard. There are many beautiful descriptions of the countryside. The writing is beautiful and brings this reader into the story. I took my time reading to be able to enjoy the author's way of telling a story.
Life is hard at this time and place. But it always is at any time and place. People die young, too young. The first chapter tells of Gerda's beloved older sister dying in childbirth. Gerda is five years old. When Gerda married, her father disowns her for marrying Fritz who Papa dislikes. He'll never amount to a hill of beans. Papa wanted Gerda to become a nun. But the two love each other and move from eastern Nebraska to the Sand Hills area where Fritz gets his land. They are happy, never stop loving each other, even when life is hard. They enjoy life, love their kids. Gerda is never sorry for the choice she made.
Coming into the country, amid the hatred of Germans, is influenza, a different kind of flu, unknown, which kills so many, whips through the world and can't be contained. The town of Stuart is closed down, schools and church are closed, characters are upset. Stay away from church when we need God so much right now. The kids running the streets. The Vogel family stay at their home away from town and others as much as they can. Try to be safe, not foolish.
A beautifully written book telling of what life was like in this time and place and how people lived through these hard times. It is hard to be able to write about this wonderful book, beautiful writing, sad, but happy.
This book, chosen as One Book One Nebraska, is well deserved, a good choice. Another great read from a midwestern author. Nebraska is Willa Cather country, one of my favorite authors. The book takes place in the year of 1918 during the Great War, the war to end all wars. It is set in the small town of Stuart, Nebraska in the Sand Hills of northern Nebraska.
Many settlers in this part of the state are German born or of German descent. German is spoken by many, the Catholic church is prominent in Stuart. However, many people hate Germans, blame them for the troubles. Try to be careful not to speak German, to try to hide who you are. The story tells of those who are living in that time and place. Many Germans are farmers, moving here to get a piece of land, trying to forget their troubles in Europe, to leave the old world behind. The story tells of Gerda and Fritz Vogel, their four children and Ed Gannoway, a dedicated physician.
Gerda and Fritz love their farm, both are hard working and teach their children, at a very early age, to work hard. There are many beautiful descriptions of the countryside. The writing is beautiful and brings this reader into the story. I took my time reading to be able to enjoy the author's way of telling a story.
Life is hard at this time and place. But it always is at any time and place. People die young, too young. The first chapter tells of Gerda's beloved older sister dying in childbirth. Gerda is five years old. When Gerda married, her father disowns her for marrying Fritz who Papa dislikes. He'll never amount to a hill of beans. Papa wanted Gerda to become a nun. But the two love each other and move from eastern Nebraska to the Sand Hills area where Fritz gets his land. They are happy, never stop loving each other, even when life is hard. They enjoy life, love their kids. Gerda is never sorry for the choice she made.
Coming into the country, amid the hatred of Germans, is influenza, a different kind of flu, unknown, which kills so many, whips through the world and can't be contained. The town of Stuart is closed down, schools and church are closed, characters are upset. Stay away from church when we need God so much right now. The kids running the streets. The Vogel family stay at their home away from town and others as much as they can. Try to be safe, not foolish.
A beautifully written book telling of what life was like in this time and place and how people lived through these hard times. It is hard to be able to write about this wonderful book, beautiful writing, sad, but happy.
August 21, 2018
The Meaning of Names by Karen Gettert Shoemaker is a modern classic, quite a feat for a book set in 1917-18, but since it was written by a contemporary, I have to put it in that category. As far as it being a classic, I would put it alongside most of D. H. Lawrence's novels for pure quality of story, characterization, place, and time.
The book tells its story from several points of view, switching back and forth as the story dictates. Following the entry of the United States into World War I, life in the small town of Stuart, Nebraska is disrupted by an outbreak of hatred for Germans, a difficult feat since most of Stuart is composed of German immigrants. Farm wife Gerda Vogel is tortured by memories of her sister's death in childbirth, Dr. Gannoway suffers with his crisis of faith, and everyone must deal with illness and death when the great flu plague of 1918 overcomes the struggling community.
As the novel weaves its way toward its (not inevitable) conclusion, Shoemaker engages the reader at a very high level, moving in and out of interconnected lives as if the novel were a first rate symphony. The writing is beautiful and engaging and the book never lets one down.
Highly recommended for all readers from Young Adult to old.
The book tells its story from several points of view, switching back and forth as the story dictates. Following the entry of the United States into World War I, life in the small town of Stuart, Nebraska is disrupted by an outbreak of hatred for Germans, a difficult feat since most of Stuart is composed of German immigrants. Farm wife Gerda Vogel is tortured by memories of her sister's death in childbirth, Dr. Gannoway suffers with his crisis of faith, and everyone must deal with illness and death when the great flu plague of 1918 overcomes the struggling community.
As the novel weaves its way toward its (not inevitable) conclusion, Shoemaker engages the reader at a very high level, moving in and out of interconnected lives as if the novel were a first rate symphony. The writing is beautiful and engaging and the book never lets one down.
Highly recommended for all readers from Young Adult to old.
April 11, 2014
This is a beautiful book, plain and simple. And, to me, it doesn't get much better than that.
Like so many of my favorite books, Shoemaker takes a story that could be so full of an often-trod history and gives it a unique voice, quieter, and a genuinely heartfelt tale. The story of the Vogels is genuinely touching and provides a wonderful illustration of how our worlds--no matter how private--are affected by the goings on in the world and the general mindset of others.
Even more, buried within the larger context is a quiet love story of those that aren't building their love, but are surviving it--awesomely.
Honestly, I don't have much more to say. It's beautiful. That should be enough for anyone.
Like so many of my favorite books, Shoemaker takes a story that could be so full of an often-trod history and gives it a unique voice, quieter, and a genuinely heartfelt tale. The story of the Vogels is genuinely touching and provides a wonderful illustration of how our worlds--no matter how private--are affected by the goings on in the world and the general mindset of others.
Even more, buried within the larger context is a quiet love story of those that aren't building their love, but are surviving it--awesomely.
Honestly, I don't have much more to say. It's beautiful. That should be enough for anyone.
January 19, 2015
A very well written and enjoyable book. The authors use of language and the beauty of her prose gave the imagery and emotion in the book great depth. Being from Nebraska, the strength, determination and grit of her characters, along with the stories, resonated with me, bringing to mind my own family and my family stories. The description of the sandhills and Eastern Nebraska landscapes were vivid and spoke home to me. If you have never experienced the beauty of the sandhills and the great plains, this book will forever change your view of "fly-over" country. The themes and issues contained in the book are as relevant to life today as in 1918. Excellent read, great choice for book club discussions.
May 20, 2014
about as exciting as you would expect a novel of german farmers in nebraska in 1918 ever could be, but that said, it is thoroughly absorbing and interesting. flu, war, bugs, racism, dirt, lug-headedness, middle of nowhere. dirt too. lots of dirt.
February 3, 2018
I was determine to go back and finish a book I started for book Club in late 2015. It certainly highlights the struggles the families faced in middle America during the First World War. Very tragic. I don’t see a strong connection to the title “The Meaning of Names”.
August 24, 2015
Originally, I was drawn to this book because of parallels with my own family history. My grandfather, the grandson of German immigrants, was born in Iowa in 1914, and also spent part of his childhood in Nebraska.
The book is written almost like two separate stories, with chapters alternating between getting to know Gerda and Dr. Gannoway. In getting to know Gerda and reading about her life as a midwest farm wife at the turn of the century, I felt like I could have been standing in my great-grandmother's kitchen. The day-to day thoughts of the mother of young children were believable, if not exciting. Dr. Gannoway's character provided a different point of view of the epidemic, and later chapters include more perspectives from other characters.
Shoemaker writes beautifully, describing scenes and emotions in ways I don't want to forget. More than once, I just had to write down paragraphs I wanted to remember, either because of the way they touched me emotionally or because of the fabulous descriptive prose.
Although I was able to get absorbed in the book's setting, and felt like I knew the characters, I felt that it lacked plot, and the author should have done more to tie together some of the events.
A good, easy, relatable and enjoyable read if you just want to be transported back in time to 1918, without worrying about a story with a definite plot.
The book is written almost like two separate stories, with chapters alternating between getting to know Gerda and Dr. Gannoway. In getting to know Gerda and reading about her life as a midwest farm wife at the turn of the century, I felt like I could have been standing in my great-grandmother's kitchen. The day-to day thoughts of the mother of young children were believable, if not exciting. Dr. Gannoway's character provided a different point of view of the epidemic, and later chapters include more perspectives from other characters.
Shoemaker writes beautifully, describing scenes and emotions in ways I don't want to forget. More than once, I just had to write down paragraphs I wanted to remember, either because of the way they touched me emotionally or because of the fabulous descriptive prose.
Although I was able to get absorbed in the book's setting, and felt like I knew the characters, I felt that it lacked plot, and the author should have done more to tie together some of the events.
A good, easy, relatable and enjoyable read if you just want to be transported back in time to 1918, without worrying about a story with a definite plot.
May 19, 2018
This novel had me from the first:
"When Gerda was five, her older sister came home to die. No, not to die, to give birth, but dying is what she did."
Set at the start of WWI, the story focuses on Gerda Vogel, a German immigrant in Nebraska at the start of World War I, her husband Fritz, and their family as they eke a living out of the land, grapple with anti-German sentiment stirred up by the war, and fight to survive the influenza pandemic. The details of daily life come to life and feel as real as a handful of fertile black soil, as do the taut emotional moments and life-and-death situations that the characters find themselves in especially as the flu takes hold in their community. The third-person viewpoint deftly conveys the inner lives of several of the characters, including Gerda, Fritz, Dr. Gannoway, who risks his own life to treat the flu victim, and a young, clubfooted man John Kaup, whose desperation to serve also puts him in danger.
This was one I really didn't want to end.
"When Gerda was five, her older sister came home to die. No, not to die, to give birth, but dying is what she did."
Set at the start of WWI, the story focuses on Gerda Vogel, a German immigrant in Nebraska at the start of World War I, her husband Fritz, and their family as they eke a living out of the land, grapple with anti-German sentiment stirred up by the war, and fight to survive the influenza pandemic. The details of daily life come to life and feel as real as a handful of fertile black soil, as do the taut emotional moments and life-and-death situations that the characters find themselves in especially as the flu takes hold in their community. The third-person viewpoint deftly conveys the inner lives of several of the characters, including Gerda, Fritz, Dr. Gannoway, who risks his own life to treat the flu victim, and a young, clubfooted man John Kaup, whose desperation to serve also puts him in danger.
This was one I really didn't want to end.
May 26, 2014
The Meaning of Names is the story of Gerda Drueke Vogel, a Nebraska Sandhills daughter, sister, wife and mother. To each of her family roles, Gerda gives her strength, determination and love. The world around Gerda is in deep chaos. The year 1918 finds her community in conflict with itself as war rages in Europe and the prospect of conscription to service abroad hangs over the head of her husband. Into this storm marches the great influenza pandemic. The story carries Gerda through a year of extraordinarily hard times, into which memories of past sorrows bubble up. But, Gerda finds quiet joy in her family and strength in her roots. This book is as dense and rich as German chocolate. There is no wandering in this novel, no wasted words. The reader is drawn from the first sentence into this sometimes dark, deeply heroic novel.
January 18, 2015
This was an enjoyable book. Much of the writing was beautiful with many poetic passages. It was a great book for book club discussion. Themes/subject matter included WWI, the Spanish flu epidemic, anti-immigrant sentiment, propaganda, and family relationships.
It was also fun to read a book set in rural Nebraska and be reminded about how hard early settlers and farmers worked. It had 2 main storylines: that of Gerda, a German-American farm wife, and that of Dr Gannoway, a rural doctor. I enjoyed Gerda's storyline more, and am not sure if the physician's sections were necessary or not.
The book is partly based on the author's family stories, so I'm curious about what was "true" in the book and what was invented.
It was also fun to read a book set in rural Nebraska and be reminded about how hard early settlers and farmers worked. It had 2 main storylines: that of Gerda, a German-American farm wife, and that of Dr Gannoway, a rural doctor. I enjoyed Gerda's storyline more, and am not sure if the physician's sections were necessary or not.
The book is partly based on the author's family stories, so I'm curious about what was "true" in the book and what was invented.
May 18, 2014
Many moments of reflection are provided in this 1918 slice of life....about family loyalties & expectations, marriage, farm life, far-reaching effects of war, the flu pandemic, death, grief, beliefs. Would be a great book club pick. Found the ending to be an effective launch into new contemplations...
September 4, 2014
This book has a lot going for it. The good points - it has some really wonderful layered characters, I especially liked and related to the wife and mother Gerda. The setting in Nebraska during World War I is beautifully done. I love it when a setting and a time period help me understand what it was like at that time and place.
July 28, 2017
Historic fiction, WW I, American German, 1918 Flu Pandemic. The book was set in Nebraska. I liked the book and would recommend it to others.
November 11, 2021
This book sort of defies a star ranking system. It's incredibly well-done in many ways but given the uncomfortable parallels to everything going on right now it was a really hard read and part of me wishes I hadn’t picked it up.
August 13, 2022
This is the first book to make me cry this year. It’s a beautiful story about a farm girl and her family of German heritage set in Nebraska before and during WWI. When the influenza pandemic hit, I had to turn back to see the publication date (2014) because there were so many similar reactions from the public as there have been with Covid. Shoemaker uses less dialogue than most books these days, so take your time and read every word. The imagery will stick with you.
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