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Thread for Pearls: A Story of Resilient Hope
A near-death experience in a car with her Mother; running from tear gas at a Vietnam War rally hand-in-hand with her Pop; a year in India learning side-by-side the country's 'untouchables;' the highs and lows of living on a rural Pennsylvania commune…and all before Fiona Sprechelbach's thirteenth birthday.
Set during one of the most politically divisive eras in American history, Thread for Pearls is a coming of age tale that takes us on a young heroine's journey to faith and freedom amidst a turbulent family dynamic. It's a story of resilient hope that questions whether it's the events of our lives that define us, or the thread on which we choose to string them.
Thread for Pearls is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental.
Set during one of the most politically divisive eras in American history, Thread for Pearls is a coming of age tale that takes us on a young heroine's journey to faith and freedom amidst a turbulent family dynamic. It's a story of resilient hope that questions whether it's the events of our lives that define us, or the thread on which we choose to string them.
Thread for Pearls is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
550 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 9, 2018
About the author
Lauren Speeth
12 books18 followersMaster storyteller Lauren Speeth has cast her vision “beyond film and music” over the years with audiences around the world, to critical acclaim. Her interests run the gamut, from books about the American experience to 3-D films about Irish spirituality, to music about love and life. Her most recent book is in the self-help genre: Taking the Stairs and Liking It: Seven Steps to an Amazing Life. Her first was a coffee-table book on American poverty entitled Tracks of Hope. This was followed with Intelligence & Compassion in Action: The Seven Pillars for Social Entrepreneurs, which has been translated into Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Ukrainian and is under revision for 2026. In her novel "Thread for Pearls," her foray into historical fiction, she shares what she has come to understand as the fundamental human experience of resiliency and hope. As with all her other works, hope is an abiding theme, and she brings it to bear each day at Elfenworks Productions, LLC.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 16, 2018
Omgoodness! Where or how do I start this review for this colorful engaging book I was able to savor with a perfect happy ending?
If an author can evoke such a feeling from me on 2nd page where I literally want to strangle one of the characters, then I know I'm about to read an excellent book with a bang. That, my friends, tells me there is a very gifted storyteller on hand.
I love the fact that I was transported back to the 60's and 70's. It should've been labeled historical fiction. This is a story of an intelligent person dating back in her toddler years to her college years. She was able to experience the divorce of her parents and the dynamic of her families. She was able to experience almost everything during that explosive and controversial Era that helped to shape America today. The author was able to incorporate most of the main and minor tidbits of those eras to this book.
I do know most of the readers will be able to identify with the main character as she grows up and navigate through her painful and good young years. As for me, there was never a dull moment as I was being led through her relationships with all of her family members, her friends, and members. This is the story of her self discovery and being true to herself.
This is the book that should be read by everyone who wants to experience a blast from the past and those who have not experienced it. I promise you guys won't regret reading this book. This novel is worth savoring and it will stay with you after finishing this book.
If an author can evoke such a feeling from me on 2nd page where I literally want to strangle one of the characters, then I know I'm about to read an excellent book with a bang. That, my friends, tells me there is a very gifted storyteller on hand.
I love the fact that I was transported back to the 60's and 70's. It should've been labeled historical fiction. This is a story of an intelligent person dating back in her toddler years to her college years. She was able to experience the divorce of her parents and the dynamic of her families. She was able to experience almost everything during that explosive and controversial Era that helped to shape America today. The author was able to incorporate most of the main and minor tidbits of those eras to this book.
I do know most of the readers will be able to identify with the main character as she grows up and navigate through her painful and good young years. As for me, there was never a dull moment as I was being led through her relationships with all of her family members, her friends, and members. This is the story of her self discovery and being true to herself.
This is the book that should be read by everyone who wants to experience a blast from the past and those who have not experienced it. I promise you guys won't regret reading this book. This novel is worth savoring and it will stay with you after finishing this book.
August 19, 2018
"I think you need to keep your heart together, wherever you are. You can't leave broken bits of your heart scattered all over the place. "
Fiona had a very different upbringing by today's terms. The novel takes place in the 60s and 70s when her life wouldn't have seemed as unconventional as it would to us today. She and her sister lived with their parents until her parents split up. Her sister stayed with her mother and she went to live with her dad and his new wife. Her parents were major counter-culture people. Her Dad took her to anti-Vietnam rallies where she got tear-gassed, the family moved to India to find peace plus she lived in a commune - all this before she became a teenager. they basically let her raise herself and she didn't seem to have many rules to follow growing up. At times she seems at peace with her life even though she is always questioning it and at other times she seems to rebel against all of the changes and the lack of parental guidance. After living such a tumultuous life, will Fiona be able to become a strong young woman? It's an adventure for her but also for the reader who is cheering for her to succeed.
From the Dedication: "As we work to make sense of life, gathering experiences like pearls for a necklace, it becomes clear that the thread on which we choose to hang our pearls of experience is as essential as the pearls themselves."
Even though this was an interesting novel, I think it was way too long. My opinion is that it would have been a much easier book to read if it didn't get bogged down in places with too many unneeded people and situations.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Fiona had a very different upbringing by today's terms. The novel takes place in the 60s and 70s when her life wouldn't have seemed as unconventional as it would to us today. She and her sister lived with their parents until her parents split up. Her sister stayed with her mother and she went to live with her dad and his new wife. Her parents were major counter-culture people. Her Dad took her to anti-Vietnam rallies where she got tear-gassed, the family moved to India to find peace plus she lived in a commune - all this before she became a teenager. they basically let her raise herself and she didn't seem to have many rules to follow growing up. At times she seems at peace with her life even though she is always questioning it and at other times she seems to rebel against all of the changes and the lack of parental guidance. After living such a tumultuous life, will Fiona be able to become a strong young woman? It's an adventure for her but also for the reader who is cheering for her to succeed.
From the Dedication: "As we work to make sense of life, gathering experiences like pearls for a necklace, it becomes clear that the thread on which we choose to hang our pearls of experience is as essential as the pearls themselves."
Even though this was an interesting novel, I think it was way too long. My opinion is that it would have been a much easier book to read if it didn't get bogged down in places with too many unneeded people and situations.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
August 14, 2018
In Thread for Pearls we accompany Fiona on her journey through the chaos of the 60’s and 70’s. A journey that takes her from the USA to India, then back to Pensylvania: that includes a confusion of parental authority, veering from her birth mother, to her step-mother to her Grandmother and her father. For Fiona this means that she feels that she is wanted by nobody. She is rejected, she is emotionally hampered. She has one saving grace – she is clever, very clever. And she knows that through hard-work she will win through. Along the way though?
Fiona broke my heart. I could not believe how selfish, how self-centered (except for her Grandmother) these people were, how damaging. What is the saying, “the kindness of strangers”, without this and her friends, Fiona would have perished, I am sure.
Brilliant, gleaming just like a String of Pearls.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
Fiona broke my heart. I could not believe how selfish, how self-centered (except for her Grandmother) these people were, how damaging. What is the saying, “the kindness of strangers”, without this and her friends, Fiona would have perished, I am sure.
Brilliant, gleaming just like a String of Pearls.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
August 15, 2018
Thread for Pearls is a great novel that allows readers to understand the realities of living in America during the 1960s and 1970s. I felt deeply connected to Fiona in her journey to adulthood. We can all relate to being young and facing the dark decisions life offers us. Through her experience with drugs, her irregular family dynamic, and nomadic living, Fiona learns from her experiences and develops into a strong young woman. I found Speeth's choice to have a female protagonist incredibly important because it added more complexity to an already complex time period. Being young person during these eras was also troubling, but being a young girl made life more frustrating. Anyone interested in reading about life in the 60s and 70s should definitely check out Lauren Speeth's novel. The woman knows her stuff! I deeply enjoyed her novel and plan to continue supporting her work!
August 31, 2019
From the Dedication: "As we work to make sense of life, gathering experiences like pearls for a necklace, it becomes clear that the thread on which we choose to hang our pearls of experience is as essential as the pearls themselves."
This was a book club pick and a story about Fiona, growing up in the 60's and 70's and had a difficult upbringing. It was an interesting read and I didn't have any issue with the writing, but I felt the story was pretty long and some of the subjects were difficult in the novel. I felt sad for Fiona because of her unconventional parents and it was hard to enjoy the story line.
This was a book club pick and a story about Fiona, growing up in the 60's and 70's and had a difficult upbringing. It was an interesting read and I didn't have any issue with the writing, but I felt the story was pretty long and some of the subjects were difficult in the novel. I felt sad for Fiona because of her unconventional parents and it was hard to enjoy the story line.
May 14, 2024
I read this for my first ever college literature class, and this was the only book all semester! I loved every second of it, and by the end I had to put the book down because I was crying so hard. I saw myself in Fiona, and. knowing she did not have a better ending than the ending I hoped for made me sad for her and myself. At the end of the class, our instructor, Lisa Watson, revealed she had actually ghost written the book, with a plot and the ended orchestrated by Lauren Speeth. Lisa, who is now my most respected professor, chose to integrate a book she had written into her curriculum! I thought it was so interesting!
August 15, 2018
In Thread for Pearls, readers follow Fiona Sprechelbach along her journey to adulthood. Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, a time of protest, war, hippies, and experimental drugs, Fiona is able to survive by staying true to herself. The book is a great example of female strength. Having a strong female protagonist face life head-on gives readers a feeling that everything in life will fall in place. It just takes time and persistence.
December 5, 2018
Phew ! I had to let this book settle a while before writing this review. YES, it is worth the read ! Yes, many of the "Pearls" of history were those that I myself lived through. And...the struggles of the girl were real. Yes, I had to put it down and do other things before returning to the story. Yes, I finished the book...and was left unsettled...The writing was so spot on and open for emotions one would feel. Read this book, and hold on tight ~ it is quite a ride ! Kudos to Lauren Speth.
April 26, 2018
An inspiring tale of a girl's journey from infancy to College Graduation during the wild '6os and '70s, growing up in a family that embraces that wild time. Young Fiona finds her way through the confusing times by creating a set of rules to make sense of her world. You can't help but admire and like Fiona.
July 16, 2018
This was a fantastic read -- I fell in love with Fiona immediately and was so invested in her story. The author does a wonderful job putting you in the past, as well as all of the locations Fiona travels too, but the heart of the story is how those experiences shape her, and that will stick with me.
July 25, 2018
Risky plot and amazing characters lead to an amazing adventure! The story and the figures are leading to a pleasant highlight which I enjoyed a lot. Please more of it! Thank you for the good entertainment!
July 25, 2018
Lauren Speeth takes an incredibly difficult time and manages to create a hopeful and healing story in Thread of Pearls. I immediately felt connected to Fiona and her story and often stayed up far past my bedtime to continue reading.
July 28, 2018
The story really sounded interesting but unfortunately the writing was too exhausting for me.
I just couldnt feel for the main character even though he faced so much pain.
Maybe it is just not my style of read but you can see the author has put a lot of effort in between the lines.
I just couldnt feel for the main character even though he faced so much pain.
Maybe it is just not my style of read but you can see the author has put a lot of effort in between the lines.
May 9, 2018
A real page turner. Highly recommended for heroines of all ages.
October 15, 2018
A great novel, very colorful engaging book .Had amazing characters with amazing adventure! Three cheers for this book.
May 29, 2019
So wonderful to finally have the time to read my dear friend’s novel!
December 20, 2018
Reviewed by Kimberly Luyckx for Reader Views (12/18)
“Thread for Pearls: A Story of Resilient Hope” is a novel set in the 1960s and 70s with all the history and culture that made that period rich and distinctive. Author Lauren Speeth’s main character, Fiona, is flung into this turbulent era from a negligent accident that strips her from her birth mother and older half-sister. At a young age, she is placed with her peace-loving father who immediately remarries granting Friona with a new step mum and, eventually, more half-sisters. Although she is surrounded by an extensive family structure, Fiona still feels that something is missing and longs to be reacquainted with her estranged mother.
When her parents search for their ideal existence, moving the family first to India and then to a communal farm in Pennsylvania, Fiona is forced over and over again to create a home base for herself. Eventually, the stress of living free takes a toll on the family unit. Fiona’s step mum and father split. Alone again, Fiona and her father rely on the support of extended family and friends to survive. With little left to ground her, Fiona tries to establish her own rules and create a direction for herself. Struggling, she works to pull out of the reckless condition that the adults in her life have thrust upon her. Eventually, her birth mother invites her back to the nest a world away in California. Will Fiona finally feel as if she is home?
Although there is a lot of detail in this book’s 450 pages, I treasured each word. Speeth formulates exquisite sentences with such simplistic flair that I don’t even miss the fact that the book doesn’t have a typical plot structure with escalading action. There are several instances where Fiona is definitely in over her head and the pace of the story intensifies. Otherwise, we meander through the days with Fiona looking for meaning and trying to make sense of the craziness of the times. Even the commonplace experiences Speeth’s main character faces are valuable as they are filled with moments of spirituality that call upon us to make judgment for social conscience.
Plenty of homage is paid to the 1960s and 70s in this novel. There are pages of references to the sign of the times with descriptions of drive-in movies, The Beatles, protests, sit-ins, excerpts of the first moon landing and Watergate. Having grown up in this period, it definitely sparks my memory and provides an interesting perspective for comparing what today’s youth are encountering.
In “Thread for Pearls,” Lauren Speeth paints her characters with psychedelic colors that reflect a mind-blowing age of experimentation, free love and independent thinking. Young Fiona is growing up in this world with a mother who is a preoccupied writer, a father who is dedicated to his daughter but living life as a raging pacifist, and a caretaker step mum who manages “The Cosmic Starshine,” a shop with all the trappings of hippiedom. With such freethinking parents, Fiona has to become more independent and mature than most children her age. Examples of her courage and resilience abound in Speeth’s novel and make for a fascinating read.
“Thread for Pearls: A Story of Resilient Hope” is a novel set in the 1960s and 70s with all the history and culture that made that period rich and distinctive. Author Lauren Speeth’s main character, Fiona, is flung into this turbulent era from a negligent accident that strips her from her birth mother and older half-sister. At a young age, she is placed with her peace-loving father who immediately remarries granting Friona with a new step mum and, eventually, more half-sisters. Although she is surrounded by an extensive family structure, Fiona still feels that something is missing and longs to be reacquainted with her estranged mother.
When her parents search for their ideal existence, moving the family first to India and then to a communal farm in Pennsylvania, Fiona is forced over and over again to create a home base for herself. Eventually, the stress of living free takes a toll on the family unit. Fiona’s step mum and father split. Alone again, Fiona and her father rely on the support of extended family and friends to survive. With little left to ground her, Fiona tries to establish her own rules and create a direction for herself. Struggling, she works to pull out of the reckless condition that the adults in her life have thrust upon her. Eventually, her birth mother invites her back to the nest a world away in California. Will Fiona finally feel as if she is home?
Although there is a lot of detail in this book’s 450 pages, I treasured each word. Speeth formulates exquisite sentences with such simplistic flair that I don’t even miss the fact that the book doesn’t have a typical plot structure with escalading action. There are several instances where Fiona is definitely in over her head and the pace of the story intensifies. Otherwise, we meander through the days with Fiona looking for meaning and trying to make sense of the craziness of the times. Even the commonplace experiences Speeth’s main character faces are valuable as they are filled with moments of spirituality that call upon us to make judgment for social conscience.
Plenty of homage is paid to the 1960s and 70s in this novel. There are pages of references to the sign of the times with descriptions of drive-in movies, The Beatles, protests, sit-ins, excerpts of the first moon landing and Watergate. Having grown up in this period, it definitely sparks my memory and provides an interesting perspective for comparing what today’s youth are encountering.
In “Thread for Pearls,” Lauren Speeth paints her characters with psychedelic colors that reflect a mind-blowing age of experimentation, free love and independent thinking. Young Fiona is growing up in this world with a mother who is a preoccupied writer, a father who is dedicated to his daughter but living life as a raging pacifist, and a caretaker step mum who manages “The Cosmic Starshine,” a shop with all the trappings of hippiedom. With such freethinking parents, Fiona has to become more independent and mature than most children her age. Examples of her courage and resilience abound in Speeth’s novel and make for a fascinating read.
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October 5, 2018Fiction S7426t 2018
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews