So Big

So Big by Edna Ferber

Heartwarming and hard home life of Chicago area vegetable farmers at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Tough families softened sometimes by the unexpected  interruptions of their lives.  Into such a world comes such an interruption. A 19 year old starry eyed new teacher.  Recently orphaned by her beloved and sometimes up, sometimes down professional gambler father she believes anything and everything is possible.  Spoiler alert... she never stops believing it.

Chicago grows up around her farm as she learns to grow with it.  Not into monetary wealth, but into real wealth.  The wealth of beauty, honor, REAL living. Not the pretend world of Chicago's noveau riche.

I rarely pick up a book with as much human interest as this one.  Especially a novel with no direct historical connection.  But this is a Pulitzer winner, and it's about a part of the world I once new in a capitalistic way. However I can very much recommend this book to anyone seeking to discover examples of REAL living in the world of super capitalist Chicago before the word 'entrepreneur' became popular.

If you read a few pages and think it's too sappy, or simple Chick-Lit, please read further. Spoiler alert 2... I think you'll find it hard to put down after the school marm takes on every 'this is how we've always done it' farmer, including her young husband and ends up being the... but for that, you'll have to read it for yourself.

4 stars out of 5 from this lover of action and historical drama ain't bad. ****
-Ken