The Past Leads a Life of Its Own

This is a superbly written collection of stories set in the rural Midwest during and after World War II. The ordinary lives of humble people is so removed from our fast-paced techno-world that it seems like reading about a different planet. We forget sometimes how hard it was to earn a dollar. How important it was to earn that dollar honestly, and to be fairly treated by those who did the paying. Life lived so close to the earth is full of beauty and humor mixed with danger and sorrow. Children died of illnesses we now vaccinate for. Heart-wrenching it must have been for so many people to have worked the land for generations, only to lose it because of money. The chapter headings set the scene with beautiful poetic observations of nature: a snake in the wood pile, a nest of birds, a frog feasting on insects, etc. This is a heartwarming read, especially so for those who grew up in the Midwest during the depression years. Field's introduction dealing with memory is wonderful, too.