Title: The Early Years: A Memoir
Author: Rachel G. Carrington
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 9781491765678
Pages: 240
Genre: Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs
Reviewed by: Krista Schnee

Read Book Review

For Rachel Carrington, life at home as a young girl in Kentucky was strict but loving, with strong guidance from her parents toward education and a career. Indeed, they had few employment opportunities and wanted a better life for their children. Intelligent and studious, Rachel excelled in school and earned a scholarship that would have helped her achieve the goal of attending college and becoming a teacher. However, she soon encountered a handsome young man, Brad, at a church service. As she grew to know and love the man who would be her future husband, she realized that her future must be with him and so left behind the life she had known.

Rachel would find Brad to be supportive and hardworking, always focusing on the good of his family rather than his own enjoyment. After a brief period of employment in Cincinnati, Rachel decided to devote her life to being a wife and mother, caring for their home and family. Making plans for their future, they would return to Kentucky to build a house and take advantage of the work opportunities there. Their family grew each year, making Rachel’s life a full and busy one. Although the family struggled at times, they relied on one another and their faith to get them through. Consistent sacrifice brought them prosperous times and greater opportunities in Covington. With gratitude, the young family gathered on the first night in their new home, thanking God for their blessings.

In the first of her Matters of the Heart series, Rachel Carrington offers readers the story of her youth and the growth of her family in the book, The Early Years: A Memoir. Rachel’s story is one that is full of love and faith, two aspects of her life that would only grow stronger with her marriage and birth of children. Her writing is often passionate and detailed, providing an insight into the lives of those living in post-WWII America. Their strength and steadfast nature become clear through Rachel’s words as she describes the struggles and triumphs that marked the early days of life with her husband.

This book will certainly appeal to those with an interest in American history, as it is a quite thorough account of the life of one woman during a crucial period. This memoir is much more than a historical work. It is a story of faith and devotion to family. In this respect, Christian readers will find hope by reading the story of a woman whose life has been very much one of wholehearted faith. Whether readers desire a knowledge of history or inspiration for everyday life, they will be sure to enjoy Rachel Carrington’s The Early Years: A Memoir.