Member Ann Fell shares her thoughts on member Tammy Hader's book, Walking Old Roads: A Memoir of Kindness Rediscovered.
Using photos from her past, Tammy Hader guides readers through scenes of her childhood in search of a disappearing trait: the kindness—benevolence—once common in her life that seems to have dwindled as she approached middle age. Meticulous scrutiny that was polished through a career as an accountant is evident as she discusses memories shared with her aging mother. We bop from the past to her caretaker role in the present through prose that offers metaphors that range from analytical to delightful on nearly every page.
As I read, I recalled similar times and events from my life. Hader’s writing connected, as I found parallels in my own childhood recollections of small town life in twentieth-century Kansas. Her revelations were pulled from trivial details that might have seemed unimportant to her younger self, but impacted her core values in sometimes surprising ways.
Walking Old Roads is well worth reading. You’ll find a new friend in its author and benefit from her subtle invitation to scrutinize your own life. Hader offers bonuses too, including special family recipes that defined relationships in her past. I look forward to trying them in my own kitchen.
As I read, I recalled similar times and events from my life. Hader’s writing connected, as I found parallels in my own childhood recollections of small town life in twentieth-century Kansas. Her revelations were pulled from trivial details that might have seemed unimportant to her younger self, but impacted her core values in sometimes surprising ways.
Walking Old Roads is well worth reading. You’ll find a new friend in its author and benefit from her subtle invitation to scrutinize your own life. Hader offers bonuses too, including special family recipes that defined relationships in her past. I look forward to trying them in my own kitchen.
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