Family History through Heirlooms

Little things like charms, aprons, recipes, and even stuffed animals are ways to reminisce and remember family members and events. Perhaps you have a few favorite items that always spark a memory, happy or sad.

Author Viola Shipman has hit upon the perfect way to tell family stories. Shipman has two books already in print and a third due out in March 2018. Each book weaves together the lives and loves of a family through objects in the house. While the plot lines are similar, the stories will warm your heart and make you consider what’s in your house that captures moments in your family.

The Charm Bracelet (Thomas Dunne Books, 2016) follows the life and times of matriarch Lolly, her daughter Arden and granddaughter Lauren. The story is told through charms each woman wears on a bracelet that grows heavier by the months and years. The charms mark common and unique events in their lives. Through the telling of the stories behind the charms, the women grow closer, reconnecting their lives and gaining appreciation for one another.

In Shipman’s second book, The Hope Chest (Thomas Dunne, 2017) the main character is Mattie Tice who is dying from ALS, her husband Don, and Mattie’s caretaker Rose Hoffs and her daughter Jeri. Of course it’s Five year old Jeri who breaks the ice by exploring Mattie’s hope chest, asking about dolls, glass vases, and Christmas ornaments. Mattie tells stories about the objects sharing their lives with Rose and Jeri. Through the keepsakes, the two families bond, sharing love, hope, and learning to overcome challenges. While more of a tearjerker than The Charm Bracelet, The Hope Chest will inspire you to put aside some precious and common memories to share with your family and friends.

We all have family recipes, those tried and true favorites served at every holiday and special occasion. That’s what Samantha Mullins discovers in her family’s Recipe Box. Set in the family orchard in Northern Michigan, The Recipe Box includes stories about the family, remembrances of the tough and fantastic years. All the while, Samantha bakes recipes from her mother, grandmother, while rediscovering her passion for food and baked goods. Family stories abound as does love and friendship.

The Recipe Box proves that Shipman has found the perfect formula, or recipe, for telling tales and sharing the stories behind every day heirlooms.

These books are the perfect gift for family historians, genealogists, and fans of a good family story.