Family and More by Helena Harper, Crystalee Calderwood's blog
🔗 http://crystaleecalderwood.blogspot.com/2009/08/family-and-more-enemies-or-friends-by.html
Story Behind The Book
I was inspired to write this book because of my German/English background, wondering how I could have possibly chosen sides between these two nations, had I been born a few years earlier. Suddenly I realised that the only things that divide us are man-made differences and when we see that clearly, we see how 'artificial' such differences are. Our common humanity is what binds us together and that is what I have tried to convey in this collection of poems.
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Reviews
<p><span style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><font size="2"><span lang="en-us" xml:lang="en-us"><strong><font color="#000000"><em>Family and More</em><span style="font-style:normal;"> by Helena Harper is a tribute, a family portrait, a synopsis of life. By Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi-award winning writer and poet, </span></font></strong></span><span style="font-style:normal;"><font color="#000080"><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/"><span><span lang="en-us" xml:lang="en-us"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><font color="#0000ff">http://www.HowToDoItFrugally.com</font></span></font></span></span></a></span></font></span></font></span><br /><em><font color="#000000">“<font size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Family and More, </span></font></font></em><font size="2"><span style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><font color="#000000">a book of poetry by Helena Harper, is like a poetic synopsis of a wartime saga, the life of a family with a backdrop of history, a memoir told in poetic blurbs. The author encapsulates characters and events breathtakingly. There is so much here to think about once one turns the last page. I was left wanting more! More! Though I love poetry, I'm looking forward to the literary (poetic!) novel (or novels!) where Harper could explore the nuances of each and every memory, hook them together, let us see the relationships, the interaction, the settings, one poignant scene at a time.”<br /><br /><strong>Karen Cioffi, Author and Freelance Writer, DKV Writing 4 U,</strong> (<a href="http://dkvwriting4u.com">http://dkvwriting4u.com</a>), <strong>co-author of <em>Day’s End Lullaby</em>,</strong> <a href="http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com">http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com</a><br /><em>"Family and More – Enemies or Friends?</em> is more than a collection of poems, it is a story I enjoyed and learned from. As you read this book, it becomes clear that the author put a great deal of time and effort into the choice of every word used. Each poem has a melodic flow that moves smoothly into the next.<br /><br /><em>Family and More</em> enlightens the reader to the conflicts and confusion that exist in a family divided by war. Being the child of a German mother and English father in the aftermath of WWII, the author delves into her family’s history by examining the lives of several family members as well as other personal relationships. Each poem is an intertwined life. With descriptive imagery these people come alive; you see their struggles and triumphs. This wonderful poetic story goes beyond a family history; it depicts the futility, frustration and hardship of war, along with the frailties and strengths of the people that make up each of our families.<br /><em>Family and More – Enemies or Friends?</em> is a beautifully written book. I highly recommend it."<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">Glenda A. Bixler, IP Book Reviewer</span></strong> <br /><font color="#000000">“<span lang="en-us" xml:lang="en-us"><font size="3"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;"><em>Family and More</em> by Helena Harper is a rare tribute; however, it is also a sharing of poetic words that are both beautiful and thought provoking in how we should remember and realize the impact of family and friends...and even an enemy or two. A delightful trip for poetry lovers as well as those who wish to remember their own families through the experiences of others.” </span></font></span></font></font></span><br /><br /><strong style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-size:13px;">Charles R. James, author of <em>The Reason for My Journey</em></span> </strong><br /> “Thank you so much for allowing me to read your wonderful book. I loved it! I became totally engrossed in the story. A wonderfully told story of a family’s love and courage in the face of war and hardship. All of the pain and joy over the years comes to life on every page. I would, and I will highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. This is a book that I will enjoy reading over and over.”</font></p>