terry needhamTerry Needham

 

And today, a lovely review came in from Terry Needham, an author from Illinois. Terry’s review of Waiting on the Sky:

 

Cheryl Unruh is one of my favorite Kansas authors. She gives this place called Kansas a voice. Sometimes it whispers, sometimes it roars . . . and occasionally, but rarely . . . it is silent. Still, whatever you hear, you also feel, when you read the words by Unruh. Because she gives not only a voice to the elusive and surreal spirit that is Kansas, she reveals its soul. A place of boundless space, timeless presence, and infinite blue skies or vast starry nights. A haunting history, eternal now, and beckoning future . . . that beguiles you to get to know her . . . Kansas . . . and feel her heart beat, revealed in the exquisite and lovely words of Cheryl Unruh.

 

I believe brief book reviews are best. Get to the point, before the reader’s mind starts to wander away. Yet, dear reader, indulge me a moment longer, for when reviewing this book, the words of the author best express what I feel—

“Here, we step into that space between questions and answers, a place where we are satisfied with the unknown.”

 

The poetry in her words, as when she describes emptiness—

“The streets, normally as empty as a yawn, were suddenly busy with grain trucks . . .”

 

Or, the glorious imagery as she fills the reader’s mind with light—

“Once as I was traveling eastbound through Rice County, the evening sun spread its love over a wheat field. I could barely stand the intensity of golden light on golden grain.”

 

Or, the tender expression of the bonds that connect us all—

“What matters most in this world is the love we give . . . It is love that connects us.”

 

And, the reassuring voice that haunts our memories—

“We’ve each left our footsteps and our thoughts on various pathways in our lives. And we can go back anytime to retrieve those memories; they’re still there, right where we left them.”

 

Or, the tender urge to simply keep our focus on what matters—

“It’s all well and good to see the big picture, but sometimes it helps to narrow one’s focus, pay attention to the light and take the best shot we can.”

 

Plus, the inevitable conclusion, to a never ending story that is Kansas—

“Eventually we will each leave this state by choice or by default, but our lives and our stories will always be a part of the wind, a part of the land, a part of Kansas.”

 

Thus, in reading—Waiting on the Sky – More Flyover People Essays—you will discover that Kansas and her people and places are rooted in the heart and soul of the Great Plains, and given an eloquent voice by this gifted writer, Cheryl Unruh.

 

Terry Needham is the author of an entertaining fantasy novella for young (and older) readers: The She Wolf; and also of a fascinating memoir of his family, When I Was a Child based on a true story of love, death and survival on the Kansas prairie. Other books by Terry are Kitty Claus, and Pesky Poems. Terry lives in Illinois.

 

To purchase Waiting on the Sky, visit Quincy Press.

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To purchase Terry Needham’s books, visit his Amazon page.

3 Comments

  1. What an awesome review! I agree with 100%. Wish I could have penned all those wonderful thoughts that way. Love the book!

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