The Sehnert family, emigrated to Illinois from Germany in the 1850s, is a family of contradictions. The author remembers the laughter, but when he talked to others, one person told him that she was sure “one or two of them might have been happy in their own way...but they were sure good at hiding it.”

They believed in a work ethic and in keeping one's problems to oneself, yet it seemed that complaining about long-past slights was the only thing they could enjoy. What sense of humor they had was often directed in meanness at someone else. There were many self-imposed rules and the family seemed to wallow in its unhappiness.

It doesn't sound like much fun.

Despite this, the author has fond memories, and writes openly of them and of what he learned of his family. There is nothing special about this family, as much the same and as much different as all families.

There were a couple of minor drawbacks. The author mentioned African violets planted outside with their tendrils winding around window frames. Uh, no. And one snake-hissing simile is fine; more than that is annoying.

Even in my advance reader's copy, family photographs were included and really added to the story.

This is an interesting and pleasant memoir for those voyeurs who like to peek into other people's families.

I was given an advance copy of the book for review. ( )