User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
This was a Hoopla Audio. The premise is very good. Lorena Leland's family is struggling after the Stock market crash of 1929. Her father loses his job at the bank and 7 years later he's finding comfort in drinking and still unemployed. Lorena needs to help out the family and is offered a job with the Federal Writer's Project within the WPA. It is part of President Roosevelt's plans to rebuild the economy. She must interview former slaves and document their stories. Lorena begins with Frankie Washington who is 101 years old. She begins to form a sort of friendship with her as Frankie tells her story.
This started off wonderful. I was very interested in Frankie's story despite it being very sad and heartbreaking. Lorena's story was a little bit more dull and I must admit that I did not get the feel of the time period (1936) fully.
I did not realize this was a Christian Historical Fiction book when I started it. It's not usually something I read/listen to. I feel perhaps that it was a little too sweet for the subject matter and involved too many cliques. The two stories eventually intertwine and overall it was an okay story to listen to.
Rating: really liked it
It is our choice “to be a small pebble on the path to the peaceful existence among people of different races and socioeconomic status.” And that’s what this story explores.
NYC, Tuesday, October 29, 1929 – the stock market has crashed.
Nashville, Tennessee. Eight hours earlier. Lorena ‘Rena’ Leland is celebrating her sixteenth-birthday today. An aspiring writer with a diary in her hand, she dreams of writing for one of the major magazines in NYC after college.
1936. Her family is broke and broken as many others. Many are homeless and starving. The government creates projects to provide jobs to those in most dire situations. The irony of those who govern at the state capitol is that their windows overlook the Hell’s Half Acre, where the poorest have lived for decades.
After seven years, without a degree and with lack of jobs, Rena takes a position as a writer interviewing former slaves to preserve their stories. She is assigned to Mrs. Washington, who lives at the Hell’s Half Acre.
Mrs. Washington is 101 years old. The God will not allow her to leave this world until she talks to Rena. Thus, she agrees to be interviewed as she’d rather leave the past in the past. There is something special about this character. There is so much warmth to her. The way she talks and is comfortable in her own skin. And makes Rena comfortable to ask any question as Rena is not comfortable in her own skin.
I enjoyed both characters very much. Rena knows that her hardship doesn’t compare to Frankie’s (Mrs. Washington) as she comes from privileged family, destitute at present time due to economic crash. She needs some encouragement while dealing with discouraging parents. She has the need to know the details of Frankie’s story. After what Frankie has revealed, how did she continue on with her life? Rena needs to sort out the confusion in her own life.
I also enjoyed Rena’s Grandma’s story very much. (Don’t want to give out too many details).
We’ve read those stories before. But this one gives a new perspective. A story like no other told before. Mrs. Washington revealing her story from a perspective of a child. A child, who doesn’t comprehend the injustice, who must obey the abuse. As an adult, going through a period of anger. Once, she reaches a peace inside her, it radiates from her. Her story is heart-wrenching, but it also gives hope. Despite the horrible injustice, there is so much warmness and beauty in this story.
The way the story flows between two timelines and the warmly developed characters make this story very engrossing. Sometimes I feel exhausted by dual-timeline narrative, but not here. It only makes the pages turn quicker. I relished the prose and the word choice. Beautifully woven story, which is a page-turner.
There is so much wisdom and honesty in this story that I truly hope it sells in record numbers. That’s the kind of book that I hope it reaches masses of people. It’s a perfect timing for such story.
What you take for granted today, tomorrow you might be very grateful for. And it’s not necessarily due to economics; it might be because you talked to another human being and got to know that person.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Thanks to Edelweiss, Tyndale House Publishers and Michelle Shocklee for my copy of: Under the Tulip Tree.
Lorena Leland’s world was turned upside down on the night of her 16th Birthday party, the American stock market crashed, her family lost its fortune and her father’s bank went broke. For Lorena’s mother Margaret and her sister Mary it a big shock, it’s highly embarrassing, they worry about their social status and her father starts drinking a lot. The Leland’s manage to keep the family home, with some help from a relative and everything is sold to pay debts.
Seven years after the stock market crash Rena is an out of work newspaper reporter and she hears about a new program. President Franklin Roosevelt came up with many brilliant ideas during the great depression all funded under The Emergency Relief Appropriation Act we have all heard of the pack-horse librarian scheme and another program of his was the Federal Writer’s Project. They needed writers to interview former slaves; to create a permanent record of what happened to them and to do this they visited the person at home. Rena gets a job interviewing the former slaves; she’s to write down their stories, experiences and has a list of questions to ask them. On her first day at work she’s picked up by Alden Norwood, a fellow writer and they drive to Hells Half Acre in Nashville. The first person on her interview list is Frankie Washington; she’s a 101 and was born a slave. Lorena is rather shocked by the poverty and living conditions in Hells Half Acre and her own life is very comfortable compared to theirs.
As Frankie recounts her life as a slave, Rena is horrified to hear what happened to her as a six year old child, she returns every day to write down Frances story and what she hears makes her very upset. Frankie is a real character, she endured many hardships, heartbreaking loss, terrible abuse and this increases Lorena’s awareness of how evil slavery was. Rena and Frankie become friends, Rena looks forward to visiting her house, and they cook and share meals together. If Rena’s mother knew about their close relationship she would be horrified, as time goes on Rena starts to look into her own relatives past and they owned slaves.
Under the Tulip Tree is a wonderful book, I loved the relationship formed between Frankie and Lorena, despite what happened to her Frankie faith was strong and her forgiveness towards others was truly remarkable and its a beautiful book to read. Five stars from me, I have shared my review on Goodreads, Australian Amazon, Kobo, Twitter, Edelweiss and my blog. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
Rating: really liked it
I can absolutely say without a doubt this is one of the best books I've read this year.
The author pens a fictionalized story based upon true events/
Under The Tulip Tree takes place when the stock market crashes and along with this crash so does sixteen year old Lorena Leland's dreams of becoming a writer.
Seven years into the Great Depression Rena's father has taken to the bottle and she is an unemployed newspaper reporter.
"In 1935 President Roosevelt established the Federal Writer's Project as part of the Works Progress Administration,a New Deal program that put out-of-work writers,librarians,teachers,and others to work."
Rena jumps at the chance to do this writing narratives of those enslaved prior to the civil war.
One of the people she interviews is an elderly lady named Frankie,enslaved as a young child in Tennessee by the Hall family many years ago.
Hearing Frankie's story as she recalls her life growing up,her devastating injury and the civil war playing out and her true love being seriously injured. This time slip goes back and forth in time between the nineteen thirties and civil war times as Frankie recounts her life and the inequality of how she is treated . Despite the mental and physical abuse she has endured as a slave Frankie has a pure heart and as we are told to do she forgives those who have wronged her. Non forgivers just hold bitterness and have hardened hearts. Frankie is not like this. Frankie was so happy to have a way to tell her life's story , she has a voice that needs to heard and it will not be quieted.
When Rena discovers a connection she has with Frankie she is shocked,ashamed and afraid of how Frankie will react but knows she must tell her what she finds out because it is the right thing to do.
This book is heartbreaking and heart warming at the same time. The inequality of treatment towards people just because of the color of their skin is heartbreaking and it still goes on today.
Under The Tulip is on my list of one of the best books I have ever read!
Pub Date 08 Sep 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Rating: really liked it
Lorena, "Rena", Leland always dreamed of becoming a writer. But when the stock market crashed on her sixteenth birthday her world was drastically altered. Her banker father took to drinking, her sister married the wrong man, and her mother is still trying to maintain her place in Nashville society.
Seven years later, with the Great Depression still impacting their lives, Rena accepts a job with the Federal Writer's Project interviewing former slaves. Her first interview is with Frankie Washington, a 101 year old woman with a compelling and tragic story. Rena feels a close connection to Frankie and wants to do her story justice. Frankie endured unbearable incidents in her years as a slave. As a sheltered white child and adult, Rena had no idea what the true hardships of slavery entailed, both physically and emotionally. She is enlightened by by Frankie's story and vows that her story will make a difference in the future.
Profound, poignant, insightful and an important reminder to not forget the past and strive to make a better future for all people.
4.5 stars
Rating: really liked it
I really enjoyed this one!
I will start by being clear on the fact that I listened to the audio version of this book. The story is one thing, but I was so impressed with the narrator. She has a talent for this and I was quickly pulled into her voice. It was complete with a southern accent (supporting the novel), inflection, and just a way that sort of hypnotizes you and sucks you in. So much talent!
In terms of the story...a young woman's family loses their income due to the stock market crash and she lands a job with the WPA. Her job is to interview prior slaves. She is introduced to a woman and spends many days interviewing her and learning about the horrors of slavery. Their relationship has an interesting tie at the end, but their budding friendship is heart warming and refreshing.
Rating: really liked it
Sigh.... I just don’t know what to say. I do think this book would appeal to many women, but I am not among them. If one desires to read a story with strong Christian themes and a happy ending, then this is for you. There is nothing wrong with those things and they are not what I objected to. It was something else that bothered me.
There are two stories told herein, that of Rena (Lorena) and her interviewee, Frankie a former slave. The stories take place during the Depression and the Civil War, both in Nashville, TN. The two stories end up intertwined but it seemed obvious to me right from the start that was where the reader is being led. It was not a twist or a surprise at all. Frankie’s story is the more interesting of the two.
Here is my issue with the book: I can’t help but be uncomfortable with a white author writing the story of a slave who forgives those who abused her. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing but in this case it felt preachy and presumptuous to me. I just did not feel like this story is the author’s to tell. In terms of writing, there is nothing challenging here. I completed the book quickly.
Rating: really liked it
Waffling between a 2 and 3 rating. I listened via hoopla and definitely wouldn't have finished if it were not an audio book. Maybe this is woke culture getting into my brain but I didn't like the white author telling the story of what it was like to be a slave and then forcing the character to forgive over and over again. I also didn't like that Rena felt the need to fall apart, be ruined emotionally for days, and then apologize and be shocked that she was forgiven for sins her great-great ancestors committed. You should not take on the guilt of other people's sins when you truly had nothing to do with it. It felt like contrived and forced guilt and then took a turn to soothe white people 🤷 meh.
Rating: really liked it
POWERFUL, THOUGHT PROVOKING, WELL TOLD STORY ON FORGIVENESS
Seven years after the stock market crash, Lorena Leland's family still struggles with a fortune lost. Lorena's debutante status crashed when her father's bank collapsed due to bad investments. The result is Lorena's college plans are discarded, her father has become an alcoholic hermit, Lorena's mother dismisses their help and they become out casts in Nashville society. Now Lorena takes a temporary job for the WPA's Federal Writer's Project, recording the memories of former slaves many who are nearing or older than 100 years old. Lorena immediately connects especially to Frankie, a woman who was in her late 20's during the civil war. Their affinity toward one another draws Lorena to dig deeper beyond the assigned questions to understand Frankie more personally. To do this, Lorena meets with Frankie during off hours especially the weekend.
Meanwhile, Lorena's mother is horrified that Lorena is interviewing negros and says disparaging things. Lorena is displeased with her mother's racist views especially as she worries what the society she once was a part of, will think of her child going to the negro section of town. However, Lorena refuses to quit her job. Her mother realizes that the funds are desperately needed but nevertheless continues to say ugly things about the program and those being interviewed.
Eventually, Lorena understands that the comments heard among the society's upper crust along with the lack of true factual information during her schooling has led her to really misunderstand the horrors of slavery. The reality challenges her in many ways and she is compelled to understand Frankie's past. I was near tears several times during the story. The telling was very matter of fact and heart wrenching. I noticed several times I was so impacted, I was holding my breath!
It is truly one of the best books I've ever read on the topic of forgiveness. I couldn't seem to read fast enough as I became so immersed in Frankie's story. I completed the story in less than 36 hours (approximately 400 pages long), as I skipped hours of sleep and responsibilities to see how the story would end. This past week since, I have returned to its message a number of times, this won't be a book I soon forget.
I look forward to future stories by this master storyteller. The characters were so well crafted and the story so well composed it just flowed as though you are in the room listening to Frankie's voice.
Recommend for anyone who enjoyed "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman", "The Color Purple" and "The Kitchen House".
Though I marked this Christian, the spiritual references are not aggressive or pushy to the reader. This book would be enjoyed by most readers, without feeling preachy.
Trigger warnings: War, Death, Physical Abuse, and Murder; though none were gratuitous in nature.
Rating: really liked it
This time I really have no words. Okay, maybe I have a smidgen. But if they come out in a disjointed, discombobulating mess it's the book's fault. Phew. Here goes:
Profound. Compelling. Powerful. Pertinent. Emotionally charged. Rocked-my-word-earth-shattering. :-) I have to pause here and say I listened to the audible edition of this book and Sarah Zimmerman's narration brought this already incredible story to a whole other level. I may have used the word gobsmacked to the point of cliche in my reviews lately, but I can't help it. I am!
I felt this story right through every fiber of my being. It touched me and changed me and testified to me. Frankie and Rena came to life through the power of their stories, convicting me afresh of the importance of remembering our past in all it's imperfect, heartbreaking, hard-to-stomach reality. It's only by seeking truth that we can be set free. I saw that so clearly in both Rena and Frankie's stories.
Gah -- there are so many specific talking points in this novel which are more suited for a book club than a review so if you belong to a book club, seriously consider adding Under the Tulip Tree to your reading list.
Not only in the Top Ten of my Best Reads of 2020 -- but also the most important title on that list.
Rating: really liked it
Well written novel about the daughter of a banker that went from a life of privilege to one of financial difficulty following the stock market crash in 1929. After Rena loses her job with the local newspaper, she secures a position with the Works Progress Administration as a writer in the Federal Writers' Project. She is nervous about the position, but the pay is good and definitely needed by her family. Rena's job is to capture the story of former slaves.
Engaging novel that brings to light the importance of getting to know people different from ourselves.
Rating: really liked it
From Endorsement:
Under the Tulip Tree is a brilliant and authentic look at the power of a story to break through the complicated entanglement of racial tension. Brave, authentic, and moving, Michelle Shocklee takes readers on an adventure of historical significance that is sure to leave them with hope. A grace-filled and beautiful reminder that every story—and every person—matters.
Rating: really liked it
Wow, what a fabulous book! This is split fiction, moving between the 1860s and the 1930s. Michelle does a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life, both the slave woman and the young woman who interviews her. The story is well done, well thought out, and very timely. One of my favorite reads of the year. Yes, I cried, it was that beautiful.
Rating: really liked it
Amazing book! Moving and healing!
Rating: really liked it
I loved this book, and the audiobook version was done so very well! Great story, bravely told. I am eager to read more from this author.
