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Prairie Roots by James Lowell Hall
Prairie Roots is the story of a town, a home, a family, and a legacy. Told with poetic charm and treasured photographs, the story begins in 1915 in the town of Delavan, Illinois,with the marriage of Ray and Marguerite Lillibridge, the author's grandparents. From that time forward, joys and trials were lived and shared, and then told and retold, becoming memories that form the foundation of a family rooted in the prairie soil of the Midwest. Take time to appreciate the history, dignity, and love within this small-town family. Allow the book's tenderness to reach deep into your own memories, unearthing your own stories and your foundation. POETRY / General ISBN: 978-1-962082-12-9 (print; softcover; perfect bound) Copyright: 2024; released April 30, 2024 136 pages; 21 black-and-white photographs |
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“I was charmed by this collection documenting a vanishing way of life, a small town, rural, midwestern sensibility, landscape, worldview—the idea of America (Americana) is front and center, and narrative elements carry the day. As in any compelling narrative, there are moments that stand out: that first meal of bacon and eggs (which recurs later at the house’s 100th anniversary); that first bag of potato chips; those missing boys on Mother’s Day; poor Wendell nearly drowning in the Mackinaw at the ripe old age of 75. But it’s the voice of these poems—earnest, sincere, joyous, loving—that sustains the collection. That and its depiction of that aforementioned ‘milieu’—a time and place that’s rendered in three-dimensional depth.” “This book of poems is a magical trip to Delavan, Illinois, at the turn of the 20th century. Go back to a time when life and days were simpler but harder, and most of all, where family was everything. Through his poems, James Lowell Hall has cleverly retold stories of several generations—the deep prairie roots of his life. Let’s not forget the colorful townsfolk sprinkled throughout the book. I found myself laughing, sighing, and even wiping a tear as I turned these pages. The sound advice from generations long gone still holds true today. His family photos make it easier for you to imagine your family as a part of this community as well. So unplug for a few hours, curl up, and become a part of charming Delavan. “In the place-based bardic tradition of poetry as storytelling, James Lowell Hall is a gracious host. His poems welcome us into his family. Come rest a moment in these unsettled times. Lose yourself in stories, in hope.” “This book sparks such joy! Such depth of heart and richness of story! Prairie Roots is a celebration of love and family, of long marriage, of country wisdom, the intimacies and deep history of small town life. James Lowell Hall’s collection of poems is a testament to shared memories as our truest treasure can be made exquisitely available to us through the poet’s dedication to craft, nuance, and narrative—and ultimately, and essentially, love. Prairie Roots is an act of tender reclamation. Read these poems and let your heart melt, your smile break out wide.” “Thank you so much, Dr. Hall. And I want to tell you how much I like your poem ‘To a Father Dying Young.’ It's really such a fine poem. I really like it, and I'm not just being polite.” “Prairie Roots is a beautifully written and powerful collection that is grounded in family myth and reality in a deeply captivating way . . . an immersive and engaging collection that very much conveys the strength and nuance of his ancestors.” “Prairie Roots is a vibrant, unforgettable tapestry of time and memory. Hall has carefully preserved all of the artifacts of his Illinois childhood—the smell of cinnamon buns from Plut's Bakery, the mosaic of flowers and flags rippling over Prairie's Rest Cemetery, the gentle snow blanketing Locust Street and covering everything in deep slumber. What can we do but follow along on this journey? Prairie Roots is a reminder of the fact that love is never truly lost.” “In James Lowell Hall’s warm and wonderful collection, Prairie Roots, Hall weaves poems and photos into a grassroots retelling of a family history staked deep in the soil of America’s midwestern prairielands. From the fertile landscape to the members of his family past and present and the faithful telling of the chores and habits that occupied everyone’s daily lives, Hall recreates a world fast disappearing. In ‘Monday Washing Day,’ Hall writes ‘No washers and dryers in those days—we had a scrub board with brass ridges. In the basement sink, we soaked clothes in hot soapy water, our soap homemade from lye, bacon drippings and rainwater.’ In ‘Prairie Sunset,’ Hall writes, ‘West of town at sunset, fields stretch to the far horizon, the last glowing rays of the day shimmer on impossibly straight rows of corn. Tassels burst, haze of golden pollen floating, rising, waiting for the rain.’ Part document, part poetic exploration of the power of the past, Hall’s collection casts a spell over anyone eager to remember.” |
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Midwest Book Review (July 2024) Kirkus Reviews (April 30, 2024) |
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info@shantiarts.com | 193 Hillside Road Brunswick Maine 04011 | 207-837-5760
James Lowell Hall is a practicing physician in Chicago, Illinois. He is married with two children and a quirky German Shepherd, Moli. He is the author of Good Night Sweetheart Goodnight and Lillibridge Houses, and edits the poetry column “Poetic Ponderings” in Wilmette Living Magazine. Every Christmas season he opens the Lillibridge family home in Delavan for a celebration of family.
