Oysterville: Roads to Grandpa's Village

by Willard R. Espy

Oysterville is the magnificently told tale of four families who settled up and down the East Coast of America three centuries ago and subsequently migrated west, eventually arriving at the tiny settlement of Oysterville on the Pacific coast in the territory of Washington. Drawing on conversations with elderly relations and friends, on historic letters and documents, Willard Espy affectionately reconstructs his own personal past to give us a rich and revealing account of these families that were born, grew up, and died as the United States itself was being shaped and formed, explored and expanded.

Genres: Nonfiction

300 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Willard Richardson Espy was a U.S. editor, philologist, writer, and poet.

Reviews

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite place to run away to. . .sand and sea, an old vintage ghost village, misty moisty mornings. Willard Espy was my favorite word-tickler in my youth. . .the bestest. . . .what he could teach you about the syllables rolling around your oral cavity!!! Very cool. . . Go to Willard's house, up to the tip of that funny thumb of Washington state and you will find Oysterville, waiting to meet and greet and send you off. . .because when everyone leaves. . . .well let's just say it gets spooky with all those lovely dead Espys. . . .

Or you could just read his book about Oysterville. . . .

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked out this book because my great-grandmother lived in Oysterville both at the beginning and end of her life. She knew the author and gave me another book of his for my 10th birthday. That said, I loved the book. The author brought the dry historical facts and data of his family history to life with the stories he uncovered and his writing style. I learned a lot about early American history as well as quite a bit about early Oysterville history - and enjoyed it.

[Joy Marley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent many summers in Oysterville and the surrounding area as a teenager; there's definitely not a lot to do except get involved with the environment and imagine the people who must have previously done so. This book provided colorful and humorous historical insight.

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming family history.

Favorite lines:

"It has been a raw, cold, day. It would snow if it were a country that snowed enough to know how." Ernest Warner Lilly, Shoalwater Bay schoolboy, 1884.

[Connie D]

I love the quiet humor and warmth of this book, telling both about the creation of a town and of his family history.

Very fun to visit the town itself after reading about some of the inhabitants of still exrant houses

I've been savoring it, so had to return to the library before it's done. I'll return to page 103 later.

[Ted Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, especially as it relates to the history of Oysterville and Willapa Bay. A good portion of the book is family history and not specifically about the Willapa area. The Espy family is full of characters.

[Cathyg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book if you are familiar with the area. Lots of history there which I can relate to having been to Oysterville many times. However, I felt the writing style to be difficult at times. Could have done with some better editing.