Glad Farm

A Memoir

De: Catherine Marenghi

Narrado por: Catherine Marenghi

Raised in a primitive one-room farmhouse with no indoor plumbing, the fourth of five children, Catherine Marenghi begins her life in poverty and isolation. She leaves home at the age of 17. A decade later, she is a successful journalist with the means to buy her family their first decent house. But the past will not be put to rest so easily. Catherine unravels a web of long-buried family secrets, and a terrible betrayal that robbed her family of the home that was rightfully theirs. And she finally uncovers the story her parents never shared: the gladiolus farm that was once their dream. At once lyrical and raw, unflinching in its detail, Glad Farm is an iconic American story of renewal and reinvention, and the mythic power of a house to define our destiny.

©2016 Catherine Marenghi (P)2016 Catherine Marenghi

A beautiful story of a real family!

Loved all of it! Went to visit the home site in Milford. So much history.

A totally engaging experience.

Here is a story of hope and insight written in a style resembling a poem more than standard narrative. Every word is interesting. It reinforces my long held confidence in the influence of those structures that we call our houses.

Well written

The author weaves a beautiful memoir of a family with depth of each character! No one but Ms Marenghi could have done this reading justice! I absolutely love this book!

Life Met With Grace

What was one of the most memorable moments of Glad Farm?

The author's memories of her baby brother. He came at such a time when she needed someone to show her unconditional love in the way that she needed.

What about Catherine Marenghi’s performance did you like?

The lilt of her voice, and her accent. So gentle and pleasing to the ear. No matter what story she told, I didn't get anxious as I do in other books.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Catherine's telling of her brother. Without doing a spoiler alert, I heard her pain. I think it may have been as fresh as it was in yesteryear. My heart and my eyes were full to bursting. I think about it days later and I still get misty.

Any additional comments?

It's impossible to listen to this book without learning that we can face some hard truths and come out with some great pain, but it doesn't give us an excuse to give in or give up. So many extreme hardships and broken hearts happened to Catherine's family-yet she persevered. They all learned to do the best they could with what they had...what they knew..what they felt capable of accomplishing.
I feel like the missing out on the big house was really unfortunate, and on the other hand, I feel like the Glad Farm couldn't have happened-which was the dream in the beginning of her parents marriage. Lots of 'could've would've shouldve' but I somehow don't think the house itself would have changed the course of their lives. Life would have just happened in a different house.

Touching personal story

I just loved this book. A personal story of how life prevails despite highs and lows. I laughed, smiled, gasped and cried. A true testament to the authentic story and carefully chosen words written here for all of us to hear/read.