Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio: How my Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less by Terry Ryan
The true story of Evelyn Ryan who raised her family of six sons and four daughters is told with humor and affection by her daughter Terry. Evelyn’s husband spent much the family’s limited income on alcohol, so the enterprising Evelyn, a former journalist, chose to supplement their income by entering contests. Her winning jingles, poems and essays brought in cash, appliances and supermarket shopping sprees. “An excellent chronicle of the contest-crazy ‘50s and ‘60s,” says Booklist, “and a moving portrait of a clever, determined woman.”