"Cast Your Footsteps" is an absolute treasure deserving every bit of its 5 stars! This book takes you on an extraordinary journey through time, back to the year 1896, when horse-drawn carriages still graced cobblestone streets. It tells the remarkable tale of your grandmother, Agnes, a true trailblazer whose adventurous spirit and unquenchable curiosity defied the constraints of her era.
Reading Agnes's words, penned with the same fire that fueled her existence, is nothing short of captivating and heartwarming. Her story is a source of inspiration, showcasing her passionate and compassionate nature. Agnes, as a strong female protagonist, stands as a testament to the idea that greatness knows no gender and transcends time.
Agnes's life stories and her ability to share them with such grace and authenticity make this book a treasure trove of wisdom and compassion. It's a journey that will resonate with fans of books like "Love Fiercely," "The Notebook," "The Glass Castle," and "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings."
"Cast Your Footsteps" is a heartfelt tribute to an incredible woman and a testament to the power of storytelling. It's a book that will leave you inspired and deeply moved, as you step into the shoes of a remarkable soul who dared to defy the limitations of her time.
It's not unusual to pay tribute to bygone years and a family member via publishing their writings. What deserves special note in Cast Your Footsteps is its vigorous and uplifting notes of just why Agnes Mae Geisenhoner proved such a lasting force in her family and, via her words here, to the world.
Her granddaughter, who persevered in bringing her grandmother's gift to publishing fruition, explains her motivations for this pursuit. The tapestry of family experiences and history is woven upon the choices, stands, and commitments of prior generations whose leadership can prove a beacon to not just the family, but those outside its borders. These examples rarely come to light with such an enthusiastic display of experience, which is one of the hallmarks of this story.
The account reads with the drama of fiction, and also captures the major turning points, influences, and choices of a woman whose wish to have her words published was thwarted by running out of time to choose a publisher. From her early formative years as a 1800s farm daughter to the evolution of her love of history and family and her firm convictions that the underdog deserved respect and support in the wider world, Agnes Mae Geisenhoner represents not just the influences of the past, but the moral and ethical drives which honed her choices.
Her granddaughter only knew her for twenty years of that life, so discovering this written legacy (Cast Your Footsteps) provided a treasure trove of knowledge that assumes additional relevance and power when sent into the wider reading world for outside eyes to absorb. Family ties and times come to life through Geisenhoner's observations, from group fishing trips and the many places she visited and lived in to the encounters and relationships she cultivated, which were changed by the mettle of her convictions and growth.
History also comes to life under Geisenhoner's experiences. Family relationships assume three-dimensional form while the social issues which form from her convictions are powerfully captured in a manner modern audiences will well understand.
More so than most memoirs, Cast Your Footsteps is a tribute to not just a grandmother, but her family's lives and love. The multifaceted life and talents of this woman and the juxtaposition of family-growing moments with life-changing events makes for a powerful tribute that should be part of any book club discussion of family legacies.
Genealogy groups, in particular, will be fascinated with the idea of how living history is created from family ties generations later. Cast Your Footsteps is also highly recommended for libraries interested in accessible, appealing, powerful stories of bygone eras and the people who lived, loved, and celebrated their moments.
It's not unusual to pay tribute to bygone years and a family member via publishing their writings. What deserves special note, in Cast Your Footsteps, is its vigorous and uplifting notes of just why Agnes Mae Geisenhoner proved such a lasting force in her family and, via her words here, to the world. Her granddaughter, who persevered in bringing her grandmother's gift to publishing fruition, explains her motivations for this pursuit:
"To the strong and tenacious women who walked the path paved by Agnes, may her legacy be a beacon of courage and empowerment. She blazed a trail for independence and resilience, qualities that have been imprinted on our lineage, and for that, we are eternally grateful."
The tapestry of family experiences and history is woven upon the choices, stands, and commitments of prior generations whose leadership can prove a beacon to not just the family, but those outside its borders. These examples rarely come to light with such an enthusiastic display of experience, which is one of the hallmarks of this story. The account reads with the drama of fiction, but captures the major turning points, influences, and choices of a woman whose wish to have her words published was thwarted by running out of time to choose a publisher.
From her early formative years as a 1800s farm daughter to the evolution of her love of history and family and her firm convictions that the underdog deserved respect and support in the wider world, Agnes Mae Geisenhoner represents not just the influences of the past, but the moral and ethical drives which honed her choices.
Her granddaughter only knew her for twenty years of that life, so discovering this written legacy (Cast Your Footsteps) provided a treasure trove of knowledge that assumes additional relevance and power when sent into the wider reading world for outside eyes to absorb.
Family ties and times come to life through Geisenhoner's observations, from group fishing trips and the many places she visited and lived in to the encounters and relationships she cultivated, which were changed by the mettle of her convictions and growth.
History also comes to life under Geisenhoner's experiences. Family relationships assume three-dimensional form while the social issues which form from her convictions are powerfully captured in a manner modern audiences will well understand:
"Maybe folks did not have enough food to give them the strength to fight for these rights. In that case, then the government should step in and help build up their strength, so that they could fight back. For how could God allow a country to prosper, when that country had no compassion on its poor? But everyone seemed to fold their hands (especially the ones who had full and plenty) and say, “Well I’d like to help but there is not much that one person could do; so why worry?” Maybe there wasn’t’ much that one person could do alone. But if they united, certainly they could do something."
More so than most memoirs, Cast Your Footsteps is a tribute to not just a grandmother, but her family's lives and love. The multifaceted life and talents of this woman and the juxtaposition of family-growing moments with life-changing events makes for a powerful tribute that should be part of any book club discussion of family legacies. Genealogy groups, in particular, will be fascinated with the idea of how living history is created from family ties generations later.
Cast Your Footsteps is also highly recommended for libraries interested in accessible, appealing, powerful stories of bygone eras and the people who lived, loved, and celebrated their moments.
