I tell of a time, a place, and a way of life long gone. For many years I have had the urge to describe that treasure trove, lest it vanish forever. So, partly in response to the basic human instinct to share feelings and experiences, and partly for the sheer joy and excitement of it all, I report on my early life. It was quite a romp. So begins Mildred Kalish's story of growing up on her grandparents' Iowa farm during the depths of the Great Depression. With her father banished from the household for mysterious transgressions, five-year-old Mildred and her family could easily have been overwhelmed by the challenge of simply trying to survive. This, however, is not a tale of suffering. Kalish counts herself among the lucky of that era. She had caring grandparents who possessed--and valiantly tried to impose--all the pioneer virtues of their forebears, teachers who inspired and befriended her, and a barnyard full of animals ready to be tamed and loved. She and her siblings and their cousins from the farm across the way played as hard as they worked, running barefoot through the fields, as free and wild as they dared. Filled with recipes and how-tos for everything from catching and skinning a rabbit to preparing homemade skin and hair beautifiers, apple cream pie, and the world's best head cheese (start by scrubbing the head of the pig until it is pink and clean), Little Heathens portrays a world of hardship and hard work tempered by simple rewards. There was the unsurpassed flavor of tender new dandelion greens harvested as soon as the snow melted; the taste of crystal clear marble-sized balls of honey robbed from a bumblebee nest; the sweet smell from the body of a lamb sleeping on sun-warmed grass; and the magical quality of oat shocking under the light of a full harvest moon. Little Heathens offers a loving but realistic portrait of a "hearty-handshake Methodist" family that gave its members a remarkable legacy of kinship, kindness, and remembered pleasures. Recounted in a luminous narrative filled with tenderness and humor, Kalish's memoir of her childhood shows how the right stuff can make even the bleakest of times seem like "quite a romp."
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
greatbook:
This is a wonderful book. The author does a great job of being sincere without being too sentimental. I highly recommend it.
In addition, the book was delivered in great condition and in a timely manner.
Nostalgic story:
Although I didn't grow up in Iowa, I was born during the Depression years and grew up on a quasi farm; and many of the stories told here brought back some very poignant memories for me. Like the author, we were pretty poor in material things but very wealthy in things that matter - love, loyalty, appreciation for things we did have and the necessity for making our own fun instead of relying on expensive toys, dedication to family, etc. This book, while somewhat simple and easy to read, is a wonderful story... more info
Simply beautiful.:
Turn off the t.v. and the computer and read this book! While plainly stated, the book is charming from front to back.
Great Read and Great for Giving:
Wow, I read this book because my mom always called us kids "little heathens" and we are from rural Iowa, so had to check out this book. If nothing else but to completely clarify what a heathen is when used in an endearing context. First, I read it on my kindle, then bought a copy for my mom (she loved it), she then recommended it to her sisters, who bought copies, then I bought a copy for my cousin for Christmas when I got that copy i looked through it and the pics are so great it is a shame I read it... more info
