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Moonlight On Linoleum: A Daughter's Memoir Audiobook
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(3.03) - 519 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Even if others abandon you, you must never abandon yourself.
This simple truth became Terry Helwig’s lifeline as she was forced to grow up too soon.
Terry grew up the oldest of six girls in the big-sky country of the American Southwest, where she attended twelve schools in eleven years. Helwig’s stepfather Davy, a good-hearted and loving man, proudly purchased a mobile home to enable his family to move more easily from one oil town to another, where Davy eked out a living in the oil fields.
Terry’s mother, Carola Jean, a wild rose whose love often pierced those who tried to claim her, had little interest in the confines of home and motherhood. In Davy’s absence, she sought companionship in local watering holes—a pastime she dubbed “visiting Timbuktu.” She repeatedly left Terry in charge of the household and her five younger sisters.
Despite Carola Jean’s genuine attempts to “better herself,” her life spiraled ever downward as Terry struggled to keep the family whole. In the midst of transience and upheaval, Terry and her sisters forged an uncommon bond of sisterhood that withstood the erosion of Davy and Carola Jean’s marriage. But ultimately, to keep her own dreams alive, Terry had to decide when to hold on to what she loved and when to let go.
Unflinching in its portrayal, yet told with humor and compassion, Terry Helwig’s luminous memoir, Moonlight on Linoleum, explores a family’s inner and outer landscapes of hope, despair, and redemption. It will make you laugh, cry, and hunger for more.
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"Marvelous. Very well written and inspirational. This author's childhood was difficult and challenging, but not horrible. She endured and triumphed and that is its ultimate message of hope and of our innate ability to rise above our circumstances. A wonderful, self-sacrificing and loving stepfather and a special bond between sisters resulted in the luminous outcome of these trying circumstances. The author's merciful attitude toward her dysfunctional mother is noble and classy. This is a book I was grateful to have read, thankful that the author was willing to share her story and its message of hope and rising above one's circumstances. I truly loved this book and wish I could meet Terry Helwig."
— Frances (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“The world needs Moonlight on Linoleum…it is what redemption looks like.”
— Sue Monk Kidd, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Secret Life of Bees -
“A painful purging of demons.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Moonlight On Linoleum Listener Reviews
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" It's heartwarming to read a tale of poverty and hardship where people come out on top - family helps family and children don't blame their parents for what they've endured. This story echoes with the tales I've heard from my parents - about people they knew growing up in the 40's and 50's. Life was hard but people endured and survived - they didn't give up and stick out a hand for free money or government handout; they didn't give in to drink or drugs; they persevered and worked hard. Good lesson. "
— Sharon, 2/16/2014 -
" This was a well written and interesting memoir of the author's experiences growing up in a very transient and dysfunctional family. I loved how she tried to focus on the good in the people around her while still being candid about her experiences. "
— Patty, 1/19/2014 -
" Reminiscent of The Glass Castle, but with a sweeter tone. Really enjoyed it! "
— Karen, 1/19/2014 -
" I received this memoir free from Simon & Schuster. It's about the authors's life history and how she had to grow up way too fast. There was so much pressure put on her as a child but yet she told this story with love in her heart. "
— Gina, 12/30/2013 -
" Hard to put this down. Really good. "
— Mindi, 12/29/2013 -
" Hated the title, but liked the book. Similar in theme to Glass Castle, but voice is very different. Reading this memoir will make you reflect on the author's ability to choose love and hope over hate and despair. "
— Maureen, 11/29/2013 -
" This is a moving memoir that makes you really care about the characters and wonder what will happen in the next chapter. However, it is not particularly well-written, with trite turns of phrase like "how can the moonlight on the polished kitchen floor be so beautiful when my life is so messed up?" "
— Isabel1969, 11/19/2013 -
" I enjoyed this book written by a close friend of Sue Monk Kidd, another author who I admire. It is a great example of how someone who was raised in a difficult environment, could make something wonderful of herself and life. A true testament of the human spirit. "
— Jamie, 11/8/2013 -
" I didn't relate too much to this story of a girl who moves around with her unreliable mother, oil rigging stepdad and five sisters, but I liked reading it. The author has a nice way of writing that made it a good fast read. "
— Laura, 10/18/2013 -
" Airplane trip book. Really enjoyed this memoir from a successful writer. Similar to Jeanette Walls' The Glass Castle. "
— Jan, 8/24/2013 -
" It was an easy quick read but I didn't think it was as good as glass castle. "
— Stefani, 7/12/2013 -
" Actually I am gifting this one this summer in the hamptons. Loved it! "
— Jane, 3/30/2013 -
" Picked this up on a whim at the local grocery store and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. Tells the story of author's growing up and she captured her feelings and emotions so well. "
— Melissa, 12/30/2012 -
" Absolutely riveting memoir of the author. she grew up in a totally dysfunctional family, yet had/has the resilience to champion not only herself but her siblings. Incredible! "
— Karen, 11/28/2012 -
" One of my favorite books is,GlassCastle. This was the same type of book. "
— Linda, 5/12/2012 -
" A fascinating memoir that reads like a novel! "
— Rebecca, 3/9/2012
About Terry Helwig
Terry Helwig graduated with an MA in counseling psychology and for many years was a human development specialist, writing, lecturing, and leading workshops on personal growth and spiritual development. She is the founder and curator of The Thread Project and she and her husband currently divide their time between South Carolina and Florida.
About Ann Richardson
Ann Richardson is an Earphones-winning narrator who studied broadcast journalism and Spanish at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Years later, the desire to take up a creative yet productive career lead her to narrating audiobooks and founding Great Plains Audiobooks, an audiobook publishing company focusing on bringing Midwestern literature to audio.