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Leora's Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression
The undertow of the Great Depression becomes poignantly personal as we experience the travails of Leora and Clabe Wilson, a displaced Iowa farm family. Gritty determination fuels this family's journey of loss and hope, a reflection of what many American families endured during those challenging times.
In this true story the Wilsons slowly slide into unemployment and poverty. Leora must find ways to keep her dreams alive while making a haven for her flock of seven children in one run-down house after another.
In this true story the Wilsons slowly slide into unemployment and poverty. Leora must find ways to keep her dreams alive while making a haven for her flock of seven children in one run-down house after another.
214 pages, Paperback
Published June 3, 2021
115 people are currently reading
1193 people want to read
About the author
Joy Neal Kidney
10 books60 followersJoy Neal Kidney, the oldest granddaughter of the heroine of the "Leora Stories," is the author of "Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss For an Iowa Family During World War II," "Leora's Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression," "Leora's Early Years: Guthrie County Roots," and "What Leora Never Knew: A Granddaughter's Quest for Answers."
A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and married to a Vietnam Air Force veteran, Joy lives in central Iowa.
A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and married to a Vietnam Air Force veteran, Joy lives in central Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 2, 2022
This is a wonderful true story of a family of tenant farmers struggling to survive during the depression years in Iowa. Spanning from about 1927 to 1942, we follow the family as they move from farm to farm, working hard to make ends meet and put food on the table. At the same time, we learn the history of a country as it falls into the Great Depression and then tries to rise out of it. We watch the Wilson family suffer hunger, sickness, and heartbreaking loss in a time of great hardship. We watch them go from farming to odd jobs to unemployment, working hard and finding a way to survive.
When the two oldest go off to join the Navy, they put the family on their shoulders instead of leaving them behind, sending money to help keep them warm and fed. The mother, Leora Wilson, who was not allowed to go to high school, gets to see her children graduate against great odds. Through memoirs, letters, photos, and newspaper articles, we follow this family as they learn of the New Deal, finally accept some help from the government, and eventually go off to war. And through it all, we realize that despite their lack of money, they are rich in love, loyalty, grit, and fortitude. This saga of a family and a country speaks in detail of a way of life that no longer exists and documents it for all time. It is a part of American history that should not be missed.
I downloaded a copy of this book on Kindle Unlimited, where subscribers can read it for free.
When the two oldest go off to join the Navy, they put the family on their shoulders instead of leaving them behind, sending money to help keep them warm and fed. The mother, Leora Wilson, who was not allowed to go to high school, gets to see her children graduate against great odds. Through memoirs, letters, photos, and newspaper articles, we follow this family as they learn of the New Deal, finally accept some help from the government, and eventually go off to war. And through it all, we realize that despite their lack of money, they are rich in love, loyalty, grit, and fortitude. This saga of a family and a country speaks in detail of a way of life that no longer exists and documents it for all time. It is a part of American history that should not be missed.
I downloaded a copy of this book on Kindle Unlimited, where subscribers can read it for free.
July 2, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed another visit to Joy Neal Kidney's family history. This beautifully formatted book includes many family photographs and gives a compelling look into the Wilson family's life during the Great Depression. I found these stories of struggle, hard work, and determination during this difficult time in history both interesting and encouraging. This book is an excellent companion to her first book, "Leora's Letters," which covers the later WWII experiences of the Wilson family, including the stories of the five Wilson sons who served.
July 2, 2021
Leora's Dexter Stories is a great story about the challenging times of an Iowa family during the Great Depression.
Reading Leora’s Dexter Stories reminded me of some of the stories my father shared of growing up poor during the Great Depression in Redfield, Iowa - only 7 miles from Dexter. This book is a window into those hard times and how one family thrived and survived those difficult years. I loved the family pictures that bring the stories to life.
I was especially surprised by the story of roast possum and sweet potatoes for Leora’s birthday. My father only tried possum once and said he couldn't eat it.
Struggles, working together, and a good dose of love make Leora’s Dexter Stories a compelling read about one family and our history in the 1930s.
Reading Leora’s Dexter Stories reminded me of some of the stories my father shared of growing up poor during the Great Depression in Redfield, Iowa - only 7 miles from Dexter. This book is a window into those hard times and how one family thrived and survived those difficult years. I loved the family pictures that bring the stories to life.
I was especially surprised by the story of roast possum and sweet potatoes for Leora’s birthday. My father only tried possum once and said he couldn't eat it.
Struggles, working together, and a good dose of love make Leora’s Dexter Stories a compelling read about one family and our history in the 1930s.
June 29, 2021
Leora's Dexter Stories is a heartfelt peek at the gritty Great Depression. The author showcases her family's small-town struggles and captures the frailty of day-to-day life in Iowa. Despite the family's hardships, a spirit of hope and love pokes through the pages.
January 25, 2022
After reading Joy Neal Kidney’s first book, Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family in World War II, I eagerly awaited the follow-up. I am happy to report that Leora’s Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression did not disappoint.
The Leora of both books was Kidney’s maternal grandmother, Leora Goff Wilson, who was born in 1890 and died in 1987. Through reading about her, I feel I have come to know her almost as a member of my own family. I am quite fond of her, in fact.
In the the preface, Kidney provides this description of the woman you will meet in Leora’s Dexter Stories:
“She was an uncomplicated woman with straightforward goals: a home of their own, surrounded by family, and high school diplomas for her children. She was determined to do the hard work to accomplish her mission.”
Leora documented her family’s life and her own experiences through letters and journals. Kidney’s mother Doris provided her own first-hand accounts, and Kidney supplemented the family stories with extensive historical research. Family photographs are also included in the book, which further contributes to giving the reader a real sense of the individual members of the Wilson family and the family as a whole.
The book uses the techniques of creative nonfiction–story narration, scene, description, and dialog–to bring the Wilson family and their experiences during the Depression to life. One particularly striking example of Kidney’s adeptness with creative nonfiction is how the same belongings reappear throughout the book as the Wilsons move from one rundown house lacking indoor plumbing to another. At each new place, they are home when Clabe, the father, hangs “the velvet Home Sweet Home picture, the plate rail, and their familiar family photos” on the wall.
The section that made the biggest impression on me came early in the book: In the time before vaccines for childhood illnesses, having nine children come down with whooping cough at the same time, the two youngest, five-week-old twins, dying from it. There were several other experiences that stayed with me long after I finished reading the book: the sense of being looked down on by people in town for being on relief; how it broke a man’s spirit to be unable to provide for his family, no matter how hard he tried; the two eldest sons joining the Navy, marveling at the abundance of good food and sending money home to the family.
The book is balanced with some light moments, my favorite of which is Clabe’s impulsive decision to lop off the top of the family’s Model T truck to make a “sports roadster.” The photo of the roadster with youngest son Junior on the hood and pet squirrel Rusty on the front fender is not to be missed.
In addition to highly recommending Leora’s Dexter Stories to readers interested in the heartwarming story of a family struggling to overcome economic adversity, I would urge teachers of 20th-century US history classes to assign the book as supplemental reading. (A set of discussion questions is included at the end of the book to assist teachers and book club leaders.)
The Leora of both books was Kidney’s maternal grandmother, Leora Goff Wilson, who was born in 1890 and died in 1987. Through reading about her, I feel I have come to know her almost as a member of my own family. I am quite fond of her, in fact.
In the the preface, Kidney provides this description of the woman you will meet in Leora’s Dexter Stories:
“She was an uncomplicated woman with straightforward goals: a home of their own, surrounded by family, and high school diplomas for her children. She was determined to do the hard work to accomplish her mission.”
Leora documented her family’s life and her own experiences through letters and journals. Kidney’s mother Doris provided her own first-hand accounts, and Kidney supplemented the family stories with extensive historical research. Family photographs are also included in the book, which further contributes to giving the reader a real sense of the individual members of the Wilson family and the family as a whole.
The book uses the techniques of creative nonfiction–story narration, scene, description, and dialog–to bring the Wilson family and their experiences during the Depression to life. One particularly striking example of Kidney’s adeptness with creative nonfiction is how the same belongings reappear throughout the book as the Wilsons move from one rundown house lacking indoor plumbing to another. At each new place, they are home when Clabe, the father, hangs “the velvet Home Sweet Home picture, the plate rail, and their familiar family photos” on the wall.
The section that made the biggest impression on me came early in the book: In the time before vaccines for childhood illnesses, having nine children come down with whooping cough at the same time, the two youngest, five-week-old twins, dying from it. There were several other experiences that stayed with me long after I finished reading the book: the sense of being looked down on by people in town for being on relief; how it broke a man’s spirit to be unable to provide for his family, no matter how hard he tried; the two eldest sons joining the Navy, marveling at the abundance of good food and sending money home to the family.
The book is balanced with some light moments, my favorite of which is Clabe’s impulsive decision to lop off the top of the family’s Model T truck to make a “sports roadster.” The photo of the roadster with youngest son Junior on the hood and pet squirrel Rusty on the front fender is not to be missed.
In addition to highly recommending Leora’s Dexter Stories to readers interested in the heartwarming story of a family struggling to overcome economic adversity, I would urge teachers of 20th-century US history classes to assign the book as supplemental reading. (A set of discussion questions is included at the end of the book to assist teachers and book club leaders.)
July 26, 2021
This book is biographical and historical nonfiction based on the author’s family history. A year and a half ago I reviewed Joy Neal Kidney’s nonfiction book Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family During World War II. That book opened my eyes to the “home front” during WWII—what the war was like for some American families. Joy’s family, in particular, suffered great loss as three of her grandparents’ sons died in battle. Joy has a new book out called Leora’s Dexter Stories. The subtitle, “The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression,” gives an idea of what story lies inside. It’s also an understatement. This book uses a variety of sources, such as journals and family stories to piece together a heart-breaking account of the poverty experienced by the Wilson family during the Depression. Too bad this book can’t be required reading of every American and every student in American schools so that we learn not only what hardships people went through during that time but also how hardworking, clever, and resilient they could be. Our ideas of recycling and repurposing today are a joke compared with what Leora, Clabe, and their children did to survive. For awhile the only thing that kept them from being homeless was when the two oldest sons joined the Navy and sent money home to the family. The family endured criticism and gossip from others because of the need to sometimes be on a form of relief, although they worked very hard as tenant farmers or in other jobs. I managed to hold off crying until daughter Doris, Joy’s mother, an amazing basketball star, had to leave her full-scholarship business college because she couldn’t afford rent. This book is a powerful tribute to the Wilson family.
September 4, 2021
The Messenger
Conveying another's message to the world is no simple task, but Joy Neal Kidney has done a remarkable job in her book, Leora's Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression. Having lived in those times, my family, even though my father had a steady job on the major railroad that ran through our small town, he found it hard to supply the needs of a large family. I remember the hobos who often came to our back porch and my mother carrying fresh cooked food to them. I had the feeling that she was afraid of them. Well done, Joy!
Conveying another's message to the world is no simple task, but Joy Neal Kidney has done a remarkable job in her book, Leora's Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression. Having lived in those times, my family, even though my father had a steady job on the major railroad that ran through our small town, he found it hard to supply the needs of a large family. I remember the hobos who often came to our back porch and my mother carrying fresh cooked food to them. I had the feeling that she was afraid of them. Well done, Joy!
August 3, 2021
I love how Joy has organized her grandmother's stories, journals and letters to share her family's story of living through the Depression in Iowa. I appreciate reading this second-hand account of hard-work, persistence and hope.
August 12, 2021
A story of family,hardship and perseverance.The undertow of the Great Depression becomes poignantly personal as we experience the travails of Leora and Clabe Wilson,a displaced Iowa farm family. Gritty determination fuels this family’s journey of loss and hope,a reflection of what many American families endured during those challenging times.In this true story the Wilsons slowly slide into unemployment and poverty.Leora must find ways to keep her dreams alive while making a haven for her flock of 7 children in one run-down house after another.During WWI,farmers worked hard to produce record crops and livestock.When prices fell they tried to produce even more to fulfil their financial obligations.In the early 1930s prices dropped so low that many farmers went bankrupt and lost their farms.Some farm families began burning corn rather than coal in their stoves because corn was cheaper.Sometimes the countryside smelled like popcorn from all the corn burning in the kitchen stoves.But farmers were self sufficient and knew how to adapt.Before the Great Depression,people refused to go on government welfare except as a last resort.The newspapers published the names of all those who received welfare payments,and people thought of welfare as a disgrace.There are so many lessons that we can learn from families like the Wilsons during the Great Depression.Never use anything just once,take care of what you have and don't let things go to waste cause you can't always guarantee another supply of them.Learn more than one trade and diversify your skills as job security then and now isn't guaranteed.Make friends with your neighbours,look out for each other.Save for a rainy day.Differentiate between needs and wants.Know how to bargain and look for deals.Families relied on each other to remain safe and protected, making the bonds between them all the more important.It's okay to embrace little escapes.People travelled near and far in search of work.The FDR administration introduced the New Deal agencies like WPA(CCC and NYA) to get men into work.Women helped with the household chores and earned money working in childcare and hospitality etc.
January 1, 2023
This has to be one of my favourite books of 2022.
The author has compiled family letters, newspaper cuttings, photographs and recollections from those who lived through The Great Depression. The result is a remarkable account of a family as it struggled to survive unimaginable hardship.
The book has a simple, home-spun feel to it that made the accounts more vividly real and brought to life the circumstances of communities that came together to support each other through more than a decade of extreme poverty.
Leora’s Dexter stories begins in 1927 when she and Clabe, her husband, scrape a living for themselves and their seven children. We follow this family year by year and they develop as we turn the pages, invested in their struggles. Early on in the book there’s a tragic outcome from a whooping cough epidemic and the obstacles that the family had to overcome seem insurmountable compared with the luxury of security that protects us today. They were repeatedly on the move, chasing menial work, and with each move friends helped them to carry everything – including the kitchen sink – to their next place.
They had electricity but listening to the radio was an expense that could only be justified if more than one person was listening to it. Clothes were passed down, donated by others in the community who no longer needed them, or were made from the printed sacks that supplies came in.
They faced extremes of temperature, from minus 28 degrees in the winter to 102 in the summer. Drought took their crops and when they ran out of food and heating, they burned furniture and resorted to bread, water and brown sugar.
In 1937 F D Roosevelt announced, ‘I see one third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished.’ This was a decade after the book started. It makes the resilience of the families – and this family in particular – all the more remarkable. Read it and understand The Great Depression from the perspective of ordinary people.
The author has compiled family letters, newspaper cuttings, photographs and recollections from those who lived through The Great Depression. The result is a remarkable account of a family as it struggled to survive unimaginable hardship.
The book has a simple, home-spun feel to it that made the accounts more vividly real and brought to life the circumstances of communities that came together to support each other through more than a decade of extreme poverty.
Leora’s Dexter stories begins in 1927 when she and Clabe, her husband, scrape a living for themselves and their seven children. We follow this family year by year and they develop as we turn the pages, invested in their struggles. Early on in the book there’s a tragic outcome from a whooping cough epidemic and the obstacles that the family had to overcome seem insurmountable compared with the luxury of security that protects us today. They were repeatedly on the move, chasing menial work, and with each move friends helped them to carry everything – including the kitchen sink – to their next place.
They had electricity but listening to the radio was an expense that could only be justified if more than one person was listening to it. Clothes were passed down, donated by others in the community who no longer needed them, or were made from the printed sacks that supplies came in.
They faced extremes of temperature, from minus 28 degrees in the winter to 102 in the summer. Drought took their crops and when they ran out of food and heating, they burned furniture and resorted to bread, water and brown sugar.
In 1937 F D Roosevelt announced, ‘I see one third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished.’ This was a decade after the book started. It makes the resilience of the families – and this family in particular – all the more remarkable. Read it and understand The Great Depression from the perspective of ordinary people.
July 9, 2023
My parents grew up in rural Kansas during the American Depression. I’ve always been interested in understanding what they went through, as my family stories were limited. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put the book down.
The Leora from this book was Kidney’s maternal grandmother, Leora Goff Wilson, who was born in 1890. She died in 1987. Leora chronicled these family stories through her own experiences and through her letters and journals. Kidney’s mother was able to give her own firsthand knowledge of various family events. From this rich family history, Kindey added her own research, including family photographs. This gives the reader a sense of the family.
The stories offer a stark reality of the times. Life in America hinged on the farm economy. During World War I, farmers were urged to buy more land, thinking there would be huge gains. But when the economy failed, most of the farmers lost everything. There were no jobs.
Another thing that really struck me was the proliferation of diseases such as polio and whooping cough. Vaccines weren’t available, yet. Imagine having nine children and all of them have whooping cough at the same time. Then, imagine losing both of your five-week-old twins, who die from the disease and there’s nothing you could do about it. Those were the realities of life during the Depression.
Yet, these heartwarming stories filled me with hope for the future. If you enjoy true stories that restore your faith in humanity, then grab this book.
The Leora from this book was Kidney’s maternal grandmother, Leora Goff Wilson, who was born in 1890. She died in 1987. Leora chronicled these family stories through her own experiences and through her letters and journals. Kidney’s mother was able to give her own firsthand knowledge of various family events. From this rich family history, Kindey added her own research, including family photographs. This gives the reader a sense of the family.
The stories offer a stark reality of the times. Life in America hinged on the farm economy. During World War I, farmers were urged to buy more land, thinking there would be huge gains. But when the economy failed, most of the farmers lost everything. There were no jobs.
Another thing that really struck me was the proliferation of diseases such as polio and whooping cough. Vaccines weren’t available, yet. Imagine having nine children and all of them have whooping cough at the same time. Then, imagine losing both of your five-week-old twins, who die from the disease and there’s nothing you could do about it. Those were the realities of life during the Depression.
Yet, these heartwarming stories filled me with hope for the future. If you enjoy true stories that restore your faith in humanity, then grab this book.
September 30, 2025
Leora’s Dexter Stories capture the challenging times in the lives of the Wilson family as they move from one farm to another in search of work to support their seven children. A story of togetherness, changing seasons, and struggle through disease, and the great depression, it brings alive the history of those times when life was really hard. There were no gadgets to ease the workload, and manual labor was the only option for the poor.
A heartbreaking account of whooping cough and the loss of two babies, Jack and Jean, reveals how helpless people were in the face of adverse circumstances.
Kidney’s book is an excellent historical artifact, featuring both happy and sad stories, as well as lovely pictures of her family. A wonderful mother and a devoted wife, Leora’s resilience stands out in most of the stories. She believed that “the greatest successes are those who have some hardships in getting there.”
It is surprising to note that in 1933, one-fourth of the nation’s population comprised of families with no regular income. However, sons valued family and were worried about their parents. They sent money home. Delbert and Donald were happy when they joined the Navy, as they could get enough to eat, learn a trade, and see new places. Extreme temperatures and drought exacerbated the situation, but the Wilsons persevered and navigated through the depression with positive results.
A heartbreaking account of whooping cough and the loss of two babies, Jack and Jean, reveals how helpless people were in the face of adverse circumstances.
Kidney’s book is an excellent historical artifact, featuring both happy and sad stories, as well as lovely pictures of her family. A wonderful mother and a devoted wife, Leora’s resilience stands out in most of the stories. She believed that “the greatest successes are those who have some hardships in getting there.”
It is surprising to note that in 1933, one-fourth of the nation’s population comprised of families with no regular income. However, sons valued family and were worried about their parents. They sent money home. Delbert and Donald were happy when they joined the Navy, as they could get enough to eat, learn a trade, and see new places. Extreme temperatures and drought exacerbated the situation, but the Wilsons persevered and navigated through the depression with positive results.
December 17, 2025
This family memoir by Ms. Kidney describes the deprivations and sacrifices endured by her family during the Great depression. I clearly remember the memories that my own grandparents passed down when I was a child. According to them, the people who understood farming and grew their own gardens and livestock generally fared better than the ones who did not. Luckily, the Wilson family survived by working whatever jobs they could get, canning fruits and vegetables from their own garden, making their own sausage, and never losing faith that their situation would improve. Leora never lost her determination to educate her children and see their high school graduation diplomas hanging on the wall. Through births and deaths, sickness and health, the family stayed together as a cohesive whole, helping each other, their relatives, and their neighbors to survive.
I particularly liked the story about Bonnie and Clyde and the Barrow gang, which added an exciting historical element to the book. If you like history and family genealogy, you will appreciate Ms. Kidney’s memoir. I gave it 5 stars.
I particularly liked the story about Bonnie and Clyde and the Barrow gang, which added an exciting historical element to the book. If you like history and family genealogy, you will appreciate Ms. Kidney’s memoir. I gave it 5 stars.
March 17, 2022
"Leora's Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression" by Joy Neal Kidney is a non-fiction/memoir about an Iowa family (Joy's relatives) in a small town/farm as they navigated through a period in US History that tried the souls and hearts of communities everywhere.
They take any job they can to help support the family. The stories on whooping cough and ear infections remind us all how fortunate we are today to live in a world with antibiotics. There are stories on the importance of gardening during the Depression. Bonnie and Clyde and the Barrow Gang even make an appearance.
Kidney's short stories give us a glimpse of how one family persevered through challenge after challenge yet retained hope for the future.
I would highly recommend "Leora's Dexter Stories" by Joy Neal Kidney. And, when you finish that, read "Leora's Letters" that continue the Wilson family's life through WW II.
They take any job they can to help support the family. The stories on whooping cough and ear infections remind us all how fortunate we are today to live in a world with antibiotics. There are stories on the importance of gardening during the Depression. Bonnie and Clyde and the Barrow Gang even make an appearance.
Kidney's short stories give us a glimpse of how one family persevered through challenge after challenge yet retained hope for the future.
I would highly recommend "Leora's Dexter Stories" by Joy Neal Kidney. And, when you finish that, read "Leora's Letters" that continue the Wilson family's life through WW II.
October 25, 2021
Having been introduced the characters in Leora's Letters, I was anxious to know more about their lives during the Great Depression. I feel John Busbee's forward eloquently summarized Joy Neal Kidney's wonderful sequel. Not unlike the Joad family in Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath, we suffer and celebrate with the Wilson family. It is rare that I read every word in any book, but I did so with this collection of stories woven succinctly together. What a great gift Joy has given to her family and anybody who wants greater insight into the hard lives of a family representative of so many struggling families in that era.
January 6, 2023
Big job to gather all the details
What fun to read about where I grew up in central Iowa!
To learn more about how tough it was for the families in Dexter and area during the depression was humbling.
Loved hearing about Drew’s Candy Kitchen in Dexter, from where I’ve purchased or been given their caramels; the girls’ basketball teams; the Dexter/Earlham rivalry; The Perry Chief newspaper; Perry’s Pattee Hotel, where my grandmother Blanche Lisle Fagen lived for years; and the King’s Daughters Hospital in Perry, where I was born.
My father even got a signed baseball from Bob Feller, so it was fun to read more about him.
Great job pulling all the information together.
What fun to read about where I grew up in central Iowa!
To learn more about how tough it was for the families in Dexter and area during the depression was humbling.
Loved hearing about Drew’s Candy Kitchen in Dexter, from where I’ve purchased or been given their caramels; the girls’ basketball teams; the Dexter/Earlham rivalry; The Perry Chief newspaper; Perry’s Pattee Hotel, where my grandmother Blanche Lisle Fagen lived for years; and the King’s Daughters Hospital in Perry, where I was born.
My father even got a signed baseball from Bob Feller, so it was fun to read more about him.
Great job pulling all the information together.
April 7, 2022
The author did a commendable job of saving and compiling fragments of a family that she ultimately wove into an interesting story to give all of us an intricate impression of what it might have been like to be a family struggling through the great depression. It is more autobiographical than my typical reading fair, but for what it is I think the author did an excellent job, and those interested in history of the great depression, the state of Iowa, and family heritage should no doubt find value in this book.
April 9, 2023
Another wonderful book about the family from Iowa. This is about where & how they lived & what they worked at to survive the Great Depression.
Lenora was a wonderful mother & friend who went out of her way to help anyone in need.
She nurtured & raised all seven children to be productive members of society. They all graduated high school,even though times were extremely hard.
You should read this book about the family first.
Being the oldest of eight siblings & born just as WWII ended,this book gave me a lot of uh huh moments.
Lenora was a wonderful mother & friend who went out of her way to help anyone in need.
She nurtured & raised all seven children to be productive members of society. They all graduated high school,even though times were extremely hard.
You should read this book about the family first.
Being the oldest of eight siblings & born just as WWII ended,this book gave me a lot of uh huh moments.
October 22, 2023
Leora's Dexter Stories by Joy Neal Kidney was wonderful. I could almost hear my parents and grandparents telling the same kind of stories when I was a kid. They always seem more real when the stories are told by someone who lived them. The features the Wilson’s and what life was like during the Great Depression. This was my third Kidney memoir and it satisfied the genealogist in me and satisfied my soul. If you’re a binge reader like me, I highly recommend Joy Neal Kidney’s Leora series next time you want a great series. Five stars.
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March 21, 2022It was enjoyable reading about the trials and struggles of this large family in the 1930s. Some sons went into the Navy and helped by sending $$ home. Hard to imagine with all of the jobs available today that there were not enough then for people to find work. It makes us appreciate our blessings today. I recommend reading this before the author's first book which tells about these same young people during the war years.
August 14, 2022
An excellent telling of an Iowa family’s life and experiences during the Great Depression. Told in a simple yet vivid way as to make the reader feel connected with the Wilson family and the ups and downs in their life. For me it brought back memories of stories that my grandmother had shared with me about her life in Iowa. The book provides a good reminder of what is really important in life. An enjoyable and heartwarming story.
September 18, 2023
Great stroll through a difficult time. Check out some of her writing: “October in Iowa is pure bliss as shades of green transform into golds and russets. The soul of autumn, clear blue sky, and crisp dark nights glittered with stars. Sparks of bittersweet and sumac glow along chalky roads. Spikes of cattails line dusty ditches. Goosebumps accompany the autumn aroma of end-of-harvest bonfires.
January 17, 2023
Definitely better than the one I read first. It had more of a plot.
June 23, 2024
very eye opening look into the history of iowa
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews