Sunday, July 21, 2013

Main Characters of Wedding Ring by Emilie Richards

Farmer's Daughter Quilt Block

This month the Quilters' Book Club is reading and discussing Wedding Ring by Emilie Richards.  Feel free to check the book out of the library or find the newly reissued paperback at your local book store and join us!

The main characters are three generations of a family - grandmother Helen Henry, her daughter Nancy Whitlock, and her granddaughter Tessa MacCrae. 

Some of us are making a quilt block to represent each book we read in the Quilters' Book Club.  I'm calling my quilt "Curl Up with a Good Book Quilt."  If you'd like to make a quilt block to represent one or more of the main characters of Wedding Ring, here are some suggestions to get you started:

Farmer's Daughter Quilt Block

Grandmother's Choice Quilt Block

Grandmother's Cross Quilt Block

Grandmother's Choice 2 Quilt Block

Mother's Dream Quilt Block

Mother's Own Quilt Block

Grandmother's Choice 2 Quilt Block

Mother's Dream Quilt Block
Helen, Nancy, and Tessa are very different people, linked by blood but by little else.  Did their struggle to forge lasting bonds seem realistic, even familiar?  Within your own family, have you experienced moments like these?  Inquiring minds want to know!  Share your story in the comments section below.  By commenting, you are entering your name in a giveaway for Clare O'Donohue's book, The Devil's Puzzle, part of her Someday Quilts Mystery Series.  Plume Books has generously offered copies of Clare's book for TWO lucky winners this month. 

As a heads up, the Quilters' Book Club selection for August is Between Heaven and Texas by Marie Bostwick.  Get the book so you can begin reading, discussing, and quilting with us next month!

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post here.

9 comments:

  1. I'm really enjoying the book! In fact, I hope to finish it soon. It's not the best writing I've ever read, but I like the characters and most of the plot.

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  2. Even though I only see my mother (93 in a nursing home) and my brother (70) once a week when we eat breakfast with mom (they are the only two immediate family members I have), we are still close. Our own family has always been close although my sister in law didn't speak to her sister for over 20 years over a silly argument. They are now talking to each other even though it is a little restrained. Never did understand that.

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  3. I find a lot I can relate to in these characters. Being the eldest girl (my twin was a boy and not expected to work in the house or garden)I was expected to do the washing, ironing, mending, wash dishes and tend the garden. I was also expected to take care of my siblings who were much younger, as a priority over babysitting in the neighborhood for pay. My brother had a paper route and got to keep what he made.
    My parents didn't believe in any form of praise until the younger kids came along. I tried to engage the younger kids by making dish-washing a game and when everyone was laughing and working together in the kitchen, I was pulled out and criticized for being "lazy" and told to just "do my job".
    I think that was just the way my generation was raised. My mother was crippled and an only child and expected the family to just love each other. She picked out her favorites and those two still live in the area. My Dad was one of ten, where the eldest took care of the next in line. My Granddad was my advocate and champion.(he had also undergone the left-handed issues of that era). I am most happy that I could change the pattern with my own children.

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  4. There have been many sad moments in our extended family as we reached the realization that some of our relationships would never had existed had there not been a blood tie.

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  5. I think it did seem realistic and familiar. My mom's first husband was ran over and killed by a drunk driver. Left my mom with two babies in diapers. My mom is an extremely strong woman and very independent. Then in 1981, one of those babies, one of my big sisters was brutally murdered. My mom became even stronger and tougher. We are now going through similar things in helping mom, two of the remaining 4 siblings that is in helping mom and a lot of therapeutic conversations are emerging. I could relate with a lot of things from this book.

    Also, I am not hesitating to get rid of stuff myself from reading about Helen and her hoarding.

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  6. Typo above. 3 remaining siblings not 4.

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  7. All families have problems. It is good that we're tied together in special ways that keep us close even when we're distant.

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  8. Sadly, I have experienced some moments like that. And you know some of those occur when presents are exchanged and siblings give me things I wonder if they know me at all, and then other times we're close. Who knows. On the quilty side - those are all good blocks, Susan. I'm working on one that I just realized could be a simplified wedding ring quilt. You can see it here: http://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com/2013/07/dwm-72313.html Much more doable for me. I'm enjoying the book - the women are so different but I feel for them as they try to connect.

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  9. Such a fantastic book, the relationships between the min characters seemed to be so realistic. I have a close relationship with my mother and daughter, but it isn't always easy.

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