The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: Review

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio was one of the best books I have ever read. This was so true to life that even though it was written about the life of the author's mom in the '50s and '60s. The intensity and feeling that oozes from this book is exactly as it would be for present day life.

This book, written by Terry Ryan in 2001, is a very encouraging book and a wonderful portrayal to moms everywhere. Ryan writes about her mom Evelyn and her discovering that poverty was no way to live. Work not always being what it should be for Evelyn's husband, Kelly, she soon began entering the store contests that would be advertised. These would be for coupons for free food, prizes, sometimes big things such as bicycles, cars, etc...Evelyn soon discovered that when the paycheck did not stretch far enough in the month, that she could always try her hand at entering the many contests. Most of the times, these were contests that required her to make up a poem, a limerick, a jingle for a store product.

Life was a struggle for the Ryan's because there were 10 kids to feed and not to mention her and Kelly. It seemed like just when a new issue would arise, that with her nifty ability to create a catchy jingle, she could make the money she needed or obtain the coupons for food to feed all those mouths. Sometimes the funny sections of this book came when Evelyn found that there were rules in regard to how many entries you could send. This is when she would get really creative with her name, using different initials, and different versions of her home address to give herself the advantage of possibly having more winning chances.

A normal day of ironing, or washing the tons of clothing a household of that size would produce, always left time in between to think up a new jingle or poem. She was always close to a pad of paper and pencil, since no one ever knew when inspiration would hit. Since most entries required the product label, the Ryan cupboards were full of boxtops and labels in hopes there would be a future contest.

What inspired me so much about this simple book was that moms are definitely resourceful. We will usually go above and beyond to provide our family with whatever the need of the day is. Its important to try to solve everyone's dilemma, even today. Perhaps one of the biggest prizes Evelyn won, after a lengthy spell of not winning anything, came when after the family learned their landlord had asked them to move, Evelyn saved the day again by entering a contest that she eventually won and the prize of $5,000 was enough for a down payment on their next house. So she was even successful at providing shelter

Evelyn's husband, nicknamed Kelly, had his own issues. Even though he was normally a good worker, he was also a good alcoholic and sometimes the household money went for his habit.

This book is chock-full of examples of the contests Evelyn entered with some of her work she submitted. Also there are adorable black and white photos of the family..The hard things to imagine are the fact that Evelyn was able to win every appliance ever owned by the family. The list of prizes would go on to include trips, cars, watches, televisions, etc... The most magical thing being that when there was a need in the family, it was met with prizes from a contest entered and life would go on.

If you are a struggling family, or a single mom, you will love this book for nothing else but the hope and inspiration we all have to provide for our family. If she could do it with 10 kids, then what is stopping you?

Resource- The Prize Winner Of Defiance, Ohio. Written by Terry Ryan. Copyright 2001