Historical Fiction | Paperback | $19.99 | 272 pgs | Isbn 9781888160956 | Ethel Barker
In times of trouble one can count on the Heartland for inspiration, lessons, peace, love, and understanding.
For the Andersen family, life on the family farm near the small Iowa town of Eden was like its namesake-—paradise. They happily accepted a life of hard work and a marginal income. Living simply, they were grateful for what they had. Their joy in life grew from their faith, wholesome farm life, a strong work ethic, treasured traditions, and love for each other.
On December 7, 1941, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the United States entered the Second World War, life for the Andersen family changed overnight as young men went off to war. At home there was work to be done: jobs to be filled, planes to be built, scraps to be collected, and behind the scenes efforts to support war-related industries. Women, men too old or infirm to fight, old folks, children, neighbors and friends, all contributed on the home front hoping the war would soon be over and those they loved would return unharmed—many did: some did not. The Andersens of Eden is intriguing, entertaining, and valuable history for the whole family.
“Ethel Barker offers a loving look at how family, pride, and faith are challenged and grow in this coming-of-age story about an Iowa farm family. Barker provides an excellent and accessible overview of how WWII spread as the boys are called to serve around the globe while their family served on the home front.”
—Carol Bodensteiner, author, Growing Up Country
“Ethel Barker paints a picture of a resilient Midwestern family before, during, and after WWII. We discover how life was endured on the home front, how families maintained farms and jobs, supported the war effort, and anxiously awaited the safe return of loved ones fighting overseas. A touching, coming-of-age story of faith, friendship, and bravery in impossible times.”
—Kali VanBaale, author, The Good Divide and The Space Between
In her second historical novel, Ethel Barker weaves a coming-of-age-tale full of love, faith, and family, and the power those combined forces played in overcoming the many tragedies of war. Her first family friendly historical fiction focused on the orphan trains (For The Love of Pete).