Ten Circles Upon the Pond: Reflections of a Prodigal Mother
by Virginia Tranel
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Description
A beautifully written collection of essays for anyone who's ever lived in that unwieldy group called family--a story that takes us from Iowa to the high country of Wyoming and Montana as a woman and her husband search for the perfect place to raise their five daughters and five sons. Rooted in real-life experience, this unique essay collection of passion, intimacy, work, religion, puberty, love and loss, and the struggle to be steadfast in times of enormous social change reads like a show more novel--full of lively characters, spirited dialogue, and a landscape that takes you from Iowa to the high country of Wyoming and Montana. As the chapters unfold, one focused on each child, Virginia Tranel and her husband search for the ideal place to raise the five daughters and five sons born to them between 1957 and 1978. Tranel artfully weaves daily moments with world events as she reflects on how our culture affects our decisions. She offers candid observations on everything from her reproductive choices and feminism's influence on her thinking to sibling rivalries and her family's emotional response when an architect son emails firsthand reports of the horrors of September 11. Whether considering the issues intrinsic to marriage and child-raising, or questioning her own common sense, her insights are always provocative and deeply moving. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Mother of ten children, writes a chapter on each of her children as small children to adulthood. In each chapter she explains their uniqueness and how they related to their siblings.
Interesting and inspirational. Still not sure how she did it all though.
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Books Read in 2023
5,547 works; 145 members
Books With Family Relationships in the Title
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Author Information
2 Works 28 Members
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2003
- People/Characters
- Ned N. Tranel; Virginia Tranel; Daniel Tranel; Michael Tranel; Elizabeth Tranel; Ned Anthony Tranel (show all 25); Alane Tranel; Monica Tranel; Paul Tranel; Jennie Tranel; Benedict "Ben" Tranel; Adrienne Tranel; Tom Michaels; Kelsey Tranel; Nathaniel Tranel; Eric; Chris Smith; Mike; Dana Tranel; Jane Tranel; John; Ben; Kazimier; Gisela; Courtney Tranel
- Important places
- Dubuque, Iowa, USA; Vermillion, South Dakota, USA; Colfax, Washington, USA; Sheridan, Wyoming, USA; Miles City, Montana, USA; Billings, Montana, USA (show all 8); Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Spain
- Epigraph
- One bird sits still
Watching the work of God
One morning leaf,
Two falling blossoms
Ten circles upon the pond
One cloud upon the hillside,
Two shadows in the valley
And the light strikes home. - Dedication
- For Ned and our children and our children's children
- First words
- Traveling should be easy now.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Fulfilled. Is that the word I am searching for?
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 306.874 — Society, government, & culture Social sciences, sociology & anthropology Social Behavior - Dating, Marriage, Divorce Marriage, partnerships, unions; family Intrafamily relationships Parent-child relationship
- LCC
- HQ759 .T734 — Social sciences The family. Marriage, Women and Sexuality The Family. Marriage. Women The family. Marriage. Home Parents. Parenthood
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 27
- Popularity
- 1,011,026
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.75)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 3
