All My Born Days: Stories by a Sharecropper's Son

By Kenneth R. Shipe

Book Overview

In All My Born Days-Stories by a Sharecropper's Son , a historical autobiography, Kenneth R. Shipe looks back on his early life in the poverty-stricken hills of West Virginia, and recalls how his... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0595748864
• ISBN13: 9780595748860
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Length: 188 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.3" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Everyman's story

My neighbor told me about this book and I was so intrigued I bought it the same day. I was not disappointed. Mr. Shipe writes in a conversational tone that makes you feel like you are sitting on a porch listening to your father tell stories. A good mix of humor and hard truths that paints a vivid picture of life in the early 20th century. I would recommend this book to any person who learned a lesson while they were growing up; you can be sure that Mr. Shipe learned the same lesson and included it in this book.

It is such an enjoyable book

I read this book after a co-worker told me my grandfather is mentioned in it. After I began reading it, I couldn't put it down. I was hooked not because my grandfather was mentioned, but because it was such an enjoyable read. The details Mr. Shipe remembers are incredible, I feel like I was there. I, too, can't wait for a sequel. I am going to buy copies for my cousins. If Mr. Shipe reads this, I would love to be contacted by him for more information about "the Orchard" I heard so much about in my childhood, but never saw. Virginia "Millholland" Schry

"Walk in Ken's shoes..."

Book Review: ALL MY BORN DAYS, Stories by a Sharecropper's Son Historical Autobiography by Kenneth R. Shipe The late Senate Chaplain, Dr. Richard Halverson, always ended his sermons by saying: You go no place by accident this week. Wherever you go, Christ is sending you. You are no place by accident this week.Wherever you are, Christ has placed you, has planted you. And so we believe that in September 2003, through several campground evacuations in the wake of "Hurricane Isabel" we were `hand-picked' to meet this burgeoning Christian writer, Kenneth Shipe at the Forest Lake campground in North Carolina. Which one of us was responding to God's whisper? We may never know, but our lives are changed because of this chance meeting, and their (Ken and his wife, Dottie) persuasive discussion of combining Christian service to Habitat for Humanity with retirement. They also showed us the fruits of their labor: the self-published historical autobiography, ALL MY BORN DAYS, Stories by a Sharecropper's Son. Shipe's crisp writing style, punctuated with descriptions of the stark poverty of his childhood, brings the reader directly into the day-to-day life of a sharecropper-in ways that you would not learn in any school textbook. It's one thing to know, intellectually, that a sharecropper owns nothing: the entire family is beholden to the landlord; the rhythms of the seasons determine good or bad crop years. The other side is revealed in his carefully researched narrative of how they eked out an existence in the 1930's and 40's -- a sharp contrast to the lifestyle in 2004. Today's high-tech families can choose instant gratification in news or entertainment with the simple click of the remote control or a computer mouse. When Shipe was in elementary school, the family had no electricity, so their primary news source was his weekly reader subscription and the portable radio, if they had fresh batteries. Doing farm chores before and after school, Shipe always found time to read whatever he could, consumed as he was with an inner passion for learning, while still following his mother's example of knowing the things that pleased God. Shipe weaves his Christian testimony through countless vignettes describing his parents' dependence on God and the power of prayer as they survive the Great Depression, and a flood that forces them to flee their home, to mention just a few examples. He tells in heartbreaking detail how long and hard he had to work, saving money for a bicycle and later a sled. And, how quickly these prized possession were nearly shredded before his eyes as he and his friend learned first-hand the laws of thermodynamics, skidding at breakneck (and unbrake-able) speed down the mountain. His other escapades remind me of the little boy who was overheard praying: "Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am." Perhaps God's master plan included `a fleet of Angels' to protect Ken Shipe. Why

Leaves you wanting more

This book is an amazing blend of history and personal experience. I couldn't put it down! I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, which comes across as matter of fact, and at the same time very unique and entertaining. I often laughed out loud. Mr. Shipe's memory is incredible and his descriptions bring every scene to vivid life. When I got to the end, all I could say was, "When is the sequel coming out?"Anyone who is interested in history from a personal point of view should read this book.

What a Treasure!

I laughed, I cried and wanted more. I live five miles from Northampton,PA, the burial site of your family immigrant.