Josephine is a saga about greed, power, servitude, and survival, balanced against the misery of living in a western Pennsylvania coal patch. Timeless, poignant with flawed, unforgettable characters and set during a most prosperous time for some, Josephine's efforts to shape a life that sets her afire are thwarted time and time again by forces around her. Although she rebuffs society's mandates and wants to carve out her own path, circumstances compel her to marry Joseph, one of the many miners battling for his dignity and welfare. Josephine and her friends, Annie and Emma, struggle to survive and help other women to do the same as heartache reaches into every home. They are pushed and pulled by tragedies, the constant threat of poverty, and by a society of imposed limitations. Although Josephine's story does not end tied up in a pretty bow with the reader saying she slayed the dragon. They can say she had an indomitable spirit, tackling the challenges that came her way, and made opportunities for herself, her family, and the women around her.

Josephine: A Woman of Indomitable Spirit

Literature & Fiction

Rodenz, Elizabeth

Literary

This book is a collection of short stories, poems, and personal vignettes 
written by The Fifth Avenue Writers a group of six local authors from Pittsburgh. 
Initially, Fifth Avenue Writers formed in order to write and hone their craft. They soon found contentment and joy in writing and supporting each other. Along the way, they realized their writings needed to have a home, not be put on the shelf, shoved in a drawer, lost for now, forever. 
This collection of writings is meant to share with the reader expressions of some of their intimate thoughts and longings, love and sorrow, humor, wonder, and the paths they have traveled. They are an eclectic group with various life experiences, evidenced by their writings, which are as different as they are. Just peek at the titles in the table of contents. 
The collection includes a description of a walk through an English village before Hitler started dropping bombs; finding comfort in the heartfelt moments between grandfather and grandson; experience the heartbreak of a little boy lost; encounter a child's despair when she finds out she is not allowed to play with others; marvel at a world of wonder in Sicily; remember the sorrow of the loss of millions; reminisce with a trip to the local sweet shop; chuckle at an HOA's antics and a nun who manages a bed and breakfast with aplomb; ponder the evil in man, the plight of women, and love that comes to us in many ways; laugh at the message from an irate mother when her son chooses an unsuitable woman as a bride. 
All this and so much more.

Collected Writings from the Storybook House

Elizabeth Rodenz

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Books by Rodenz, Elizabeth

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Rodenz, Elizabeth. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Josephine: A Woman of Indomitable Spirit

Collected Writings from the Storybook House