Sailing Ships and Spitfires :: Comments About the Book

"...I found (From Sailing Ships to Spitfires) to be a riveting story of the life of turn-of-the-Century immigration to the United States....

Mr. Tom Des Jeans, Superintendent of Parks, National Park Service, Oneida Tennessee. Stearns Kentucky, where the family lived from 1904 to 1910, has been incorporated into a National Park in the United States."

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The book was reviewed by Angus A. Glass in the March 2007 of the British Columbia Genealogist.

"This was a great book to read; it has all the elements of a novel.........
The family story is set against the backdrop of world, United States and Canadian affairs.....
.....With some luck and great research she has produced a book that reads well and does not get bogged down in the minutiae of genealogy. Her story will probably strike a chord with many who are interested in genealogy. Enjoy!"

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"One thing that sets this book apart is that it is not a fabulous success story but a true, down-to-earth, immigrant story that tells about the true lives and struggles of the great majority of immigrants. I can't wait to read it!"

Per Kavlie Anderson, Translator of family letters from Old Norwegian to English

Per gave me invaluable assistance in the translation of the Norwegian letters, often discussing with me the subtleties of what the family members had written, throwing more light on the story. His knowledge of Norwegian history and literature added greatly to our discussions.

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"Hello Shirley, Thank you so much for the gift of your book. It is absolutely fascinating. I am not a really fast reader, but I have devoured the book in 2 days. I can't imagine how much research you had to do to pull the story together. Mother would have been so proud to have her name in your acknowledgements, and to have made a contribution…".

Forrest Hagen (son of Berit Hagen)

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"Dear Shirley, I set out to read through From Sailing Ships to Spitfires over my lunches, and I have just been engrossed (all over again). It is such a good book… All those things we fussed about, such as the role of the women, for instance, and keeping an eye on Gustav, or whomever, while the background history was presented--all that works beautifully….
Congratulations, Shirley. That was a magnificent piece of work."

Margaret Slavin Dyment, from “Write Away!”
(“Write Away!” is an online support service available to writers. Margaret acted as my “ Mentor while I was writing the first draft of the manuscript. Margaert Slavin Dyment is the founder of the Victoria School of Writing.)

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The following is an excerpt from a review in the Trail Daily Times, by Lana Rodlie, in November 2006:

“History buffs, genealogists, writers and anyone who like a good story will enjoy Shirley Walker’s book, “From Sailing Ships to Spitfires.…
Interspersed with the heartache of eking out an existence at a time when jobs were few, food was scarce and distance from loved ones was a heartbreaking obstacle, Walker painstakingly includes an accurate account of history during those periods.
She covers Norway’s economic situation in the late 1800’s, which created such mass emigration, then followed the family’s movements from the U.S. to Canada as if she was riding in the back seat of their jalopy…”

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Dr. Benita Howell, Head of Department of American Studies (recently retired), University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Dr. Howell provided some research assistance on Stearns and the Appalachians and asked to be informed when the book was published:

"....I thoroughly enjoyed the book, not just for the new information on Stearns. I thought that you did an excellent job incorporating one family's history into the larger currents of economic, social, and political history that affected it.
.... I do think that the book would be useful for American Studies students to read ..... your book is an especially colorful saga of repeated moves and resilience."

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The following are comments from Ingrid Ytterdal, my Norwegian researcher.
In December 2007, Ingrid and her husband were awarded silver medals by the King of Norway for their contribution to Norwegian heritage.

January 19, 2007
“Last week I had a contact with Anne Møretrø (now retired archivist from the Statsarkevit in Arendal, Norway.) She has read your book and was very enthusiastic about it. .... She asked me to say many thanks to you who now has given her so many new facts about the life of emigrants. She is still active in local history…. Your book has given her a big inspiration! ............

We have contact every Christmas-time with a niece in (the US)….. I told her last year about your book. This year she wrote that she had read it. She writes: “What a great book! I hadn’t read about emigrants in the Kentucky coal mining area before, it was fresh, interesting information."

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"Dear Shirley: I bought From Sailing Ships to Spitfires yesterday at the (Midsummer) festival. It was so fascinating that once I started reading it (as soon as I got home) I could not put it down except to heat up some lasagne for me and my husband for supper…. Thank you for all the Norwegian history you have provided and congratulations on your hard work in completing your well-written book."

Edith Olson

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"HELLO!!! I finished your book on Sunday, covered with tears and wanting the story to go on, but yet I know the story did go on as I live it today. I recalled some of the stories that grandma (Faye) told about Hildur and Erling, but I never really put it into context until reading your book. It was soooo interesting......
We are truly fortunate that you took the time to research the family and give us this treasure. Thank you so much. I know others will enjoy the book too, as you wrote it in such a way that anyone would enjoy it , yet when I read it I kept saying- hey, that's my great grandfather, my grandma, aunt, uncle and finally my Mom.
How can one thank you enough? Except than one more thank you :)"

Yvonne (Faye’s Granddaughter)

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"My Dear Shirley: Just a note to say how very much I am enjoying your book. I have been reading it now for a few weeks and found its contents most interesting. It brings back many fond memories of my war years in England and the continent, which I must say were some of the (?) I will read the balance of the book with a great deal of interest. Good luck to you and all the rest"

Sincerely, (Former Second World War RCAF Wing Commander) B.D. 'Dal' Russel DSO, DFC and Bar

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"Dear Shirley: Congratulations on the completion of your book and its publication.... It was exciting to see the two pictures- the gathering at church and the family. It was so kind of you to acknowledge my parents so many times. On their part, I am reminded of the promise, "Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again." (Ecc. 11:1)
Of course the above is supplementary to the purpose of your book, the telling of your family's history. You did this so well, the result of a great deal of research."

Sincerely, Herb Jacobson

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"...I was so grateful to have known a special person from the Roseland family living in Trail. I was owner of an electrical business, and it turned out Agnes(Aggy) started working for me as a bookkeeper. She was more efficient than any C.A. that I had used previously. That Roseland determination soon had the business in the black. Nothing fazed Agnes one bit. She could stand up to anyone.....I enjoyed Arnold's career in the air force. What a great pilot and leader......
To finish: After reading the book I can see where Agnes got her determination and friendly way - right from the Roseland family.

Shirley--Thanks for such a touching story." Harry and Connie Berger.
(My parents were great friends with Harry and Connie and were very fond of them.--S.W.)