This book has been compiled by the author – the ‘family’s record keeper’ – through painstaking research, letters and personal stories that trace her maternal line back [seven] generations from Jane Watson (born 1782) to her own birth in 1944.

The women are introduced in a way that anchors them in time such as who was president and how many states there were. Jane Watson was born in 1782, and there were seventeen states led by George Washington. There are also verses from the bible which are testament to the ‘legacy of faith and integrity’ that the author inherited.

Meadowlark Songs tells of the amazing courage and hardship of these pioneering women who set off into the unknown coping with danger, hardship and frequent births. The language carries the stories along beautifully. These pioneers experienced the ‘earthy aroma of warm Iowa soil where their lives would take root’.

There are sweet touches such as the poppy plate heirloom connecting the eldest granddaughters, and the closeness and strength of these women is remarkable as they supported their families. Despite tragedy and poverty, they were the cornerstones that held everything together. Leora experienced the anxiety of two world wars but is described as the heart of the family and physically connected to all five generations.

I’d already read the earlier books about Leora and this one helped to put the different names in context. It’s a lovely way to celebrate such a quietly amazing family line.