The Tell of Me

By Elias T. Esparza

In The Tell of Me, freelance writer and high school student Elias T. Esparza sheds light on the everyday lives of todays teenagers. Sharing his own real-life experiences, Esparza has bravely dared to demand your attention and say the things to you that your children never will. He touches on the most important issues facing teenagers today including teachers, society, bullying, influence, andlast but not leastparents.

Elias T. Esparza is a teenage boy with his eyes open, and as a parent, you may not be ready to hear about what he sees. Parents cannot possibly know what goes on in the lives of their teenagers every day. Watching the unfairness with which teens are dealt, the influences young people are subjected to, and the mental and emotional challenges adolescents must overcome or drown under, Esparza was inspired to speak out to bring awareness to parents, teachers, and counselors.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491734919

Elias T. Esparza

Elias T. Esparza is a freelance writer who lives in the Inland Empire and currently attends Summit High School. He is a loving and caring person who wants to have a positive impact on the world by helping parents better understand the behavior of their children.

Book preview

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Reviews for The Tell of Me

[laugal-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An American classic!
This book is to the North what Gone with the Wind was for the south!
I am sorry I waited so long to read this one. It is a luxurious read. It has EVERYTHING-birth, death, natural disaster, America’s industrial growth, politics and religion.
This truly is a piece of American literature to be enjoyed and absorbed.
I was surprised at how I felt attachment for the characters. When I finished this book, I was in tears and felt like I lost a dear friend. I chose to read it since I had discovered I had civil war ancestors. I wanted to know more about what life may have been like for them. I learned a lot.
The author was born in 1895 so in reality, she wrote about experiences of people she may have known in her own life.
Enjoyable, delicious read. If you do read this book, just enjoy your time spent with it,it is not wasted time!
One of my all time favorites.
If I could give 10 stars I would


Update- never read the same author's book one right after another,I always take a break,but for Sanmyer,I just can't leave her world. Her writing is beautiful and her stories are memorable and lovely!I have been devouring her books since I finished And ladies of the Club.

[mickyfine · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Spanning decades, this epic historical novel follows the lives of a small circle of women who form a literary club in Waynesboro, Ohio just after the end of the Civil War. As years pass, the women and their families grow and change and both the group and the community slowly alter.A sedate epic novel, that I at turns enjoyed and occasionally slogged through. While the world of the community and the women that Santmyer creates is well-developed and interesting, some of the historical details felt like too much. If it weren't a challenge book I wouldn't have finished it (and it's unlikely I'd have picked it up otherwise). Not a bad book but you'll definitely want to be in the mood for a chunkster before hefting this one.

[russellbittner · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I dumped it after 37 pages.

Sorry, but I just couldn't see where this story was going. It felt (= read) like a toilet with a faulty flush mechanism. There's just so much of that sh*t one can read -- and just too little time to do it in.

Instead, I picked up Anna Quindlen's Rise and Shine. Same sh*t; different toilet.

RRB
Brooklyn, NY
07/20/14

[turtlesleap · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This novel documents the lives of a small group of women and their families from immediately after the end of the Civil War until the 1930's. Central to the story is a women's literary club, formed at the time the two main characters graduate from high school, and playing a key role in their interaction with the community of women around them. The book is long and the story moves with glacial slowness but persevere ladies. It is worth the investment of time to get such an insight into the interests, issues, concerns and formidable problems confronted by another generation of women.

[auntieknickers · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this quite a long time ago, not long after its publication. It was a bit of a sensation at the time because of the age of its author at the time of publication of her first novel (in her 80s I believe). I enjoyed this tale of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, told through the lens of a ladies' literary and philosophical club in Ohio. It was a bit long, but I had more patience for long books in those days. Recommended for lovers of long historical novels.

[satyridae · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's been years since I read this book, and I've been reflexively putting on list of favorites for years. I thought it time to re-read. This time, the poor editing and the plethora of typos drove me nearly to distraction. I went out and got a newer edition half way through the read, hoping against hope that it would be better. It was a little better, but, man, what a mess. That's the flaw, and for my money, the only flaw in this magnificent slice-of-life novel. Sure, some of the attitudes may strike today's reader as reprehensible, however, they ring true. The book begins with the two main characters' high school commencement in 1868 and proceeds to follow their lives and the lives of their families and neighbors until 1930. The place is Ohio, the fictional town of Waynesboro based on Santmyer's home Xenia. Nothing happens, and everything happens. Whole lives are played out, and one is part of them in intimate but not claustrophobic detail. I don't know if I can articulate exactly why I love this book so, but it has something to do with the way it brings the relentlessness of time to the forefront of my consciousness, and the way it grounds me in humanity.

[benasreads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

 Very good read if you are into learning about the past. A must for women.

[seriousgrace · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

...And Ladies of the Club is a sweeping, multi-generation saga that spans 64 years in a small town in Ohio. It begins when two college girls are invited to join a literary "club" to study and discuss influential authors of the day. The two girls take their invitation to membership very seriously and act accordingly. After all, their group consists of a mix of women with varying marital and political statuses. For example, Anne is chosen to go first. She studies the poetry of Browning to present a critique to the group and is chastised for being immature in her thinking. However as the group grows it is these different stages of life and opinion that sets the stage for Santmyer to paint the bigger picture - the trials and tribulations of life in a small town immediately following the Civil War. This is a time when men snickered at the silly, "harmless" interests of their wives. A time when health and reputation could deteriorate with a single, innocent event.

[susanbarnard_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I occasionally "inherit" a book from friends or family - this is one of those books. Most likely I would not normally have chosen to read this book. The title, cover, and description on back tend to make me think it is a ladies' romance novel, when in fact it is an amazing story of real life set in by-gone days. Yes, there is romance and passion; However, that is a path through the story, not the story itself. The book is, indeed, a little slow to start...but once you are in the story, you understand why. This novel follows the lives of characters from High School through Grandmotherhood, with enough depth to give the reader a sense of real life during several past eras in America...and what life must have been like during each transition from one era to another. The best recommendation I can give is that this book sets on my bookshelf because I read it again and again - about every couple of years.

[crowsister-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Maybe because I was born and bred in Ohio, I love this book and count it one of my two favorite novels. The fact that it took the author 50 years to write boggles the mind. I was drawn into it from page one and couldn't put it down. The characters are so well drawn that they became good friends to me and I feel as if I lived with them. The historical information included made the book totally real and engrossing. It is not just a typical romance novel, but an epic of people's lives and how they are lived across a span of years.

[glorybe1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I thought when I found this book that it would be great, something akin to 'Gone with the Wind', how wrong can you be!I found it very very dull extremely long winded and just a pain to wade through. The blurb on the cover says that it was 50 in the writing and let me tell you it would take 50 years in the reading too!Life is just too short to trudge through a book as heavey going as this!

[renz0808 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

And the Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer is an epic novel that follows the lives of the townspeople and especially the women of Waynesboro Ohio from a large span in Restoration America history from 1868-1913. It is a very large scale novel, and the women of the literary club are all lively, interesting, warm-hearted women who should all be admired for their different personalities and differing opinions. All of them find a way into our hearts and we an almost find identify similarities between ourselves and each of them. I think the strongest aspect of the book is the historical background that the plot centers on. Be aware before reading this book that it is truly enhanced by a lot of detail as to what was happening in America as a result of the Civil War, politically and socially. If you do not really enjoy historical information than you will probably not like this book. It is defiantly not a romance novel but a book that's plot centers on history and women of the time period from their loves and loses. The only thing that I did not like about the book is that since there is such a large span of history involved, and a huge amount of characters to keep track of, I felt like some of the characters and details of their lives were short-sighted. Events in their lives that I would have liked to have more detail about were very quick and hardly mentioned. On the other hand, since there is so many characters in the book the town itself really becomes almost a character, that gives an accurate portrayal of the time period, and in my opinion is different from other historical fiction novels that are around.

[labwriter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There was just something about this book that captured me completely. I love the structure of the book--I think it's brilliant. At the beginning of each chapter is the year and the names of the women in the Waynesboro Women's club for that year. As the years pass, daughters take their mothers' places, not only in the club roster but also within the community. Maybe one reason I enjoyed this book so much was because I read it the year I moved from the west to the midwest. I lived with these characters in the book for weeks while I read it; I was saddened when they died and also when I finished the book. Maybe this is one of those books where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I've read the book twice now, all 1175 pages of it; I'm quite sure I'll read it again.A reviewer here at LT reminded me of another aspect of the book I enjoyed--the politics that was going on around these women and the way it affected their lives. What I remember was that Santmyer was very clever about not taking sides herself as an author, but instead letting her characters take sides on the political issues of the day. Another reviewer said the characters were "all rich Republicans," but that's now how I remember it.

[hoosieriu97 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It took me a good part of July to read this book. There were some quotes that I had to write in my book journal, which signifies that it was worth reading. The span of friendship over many years between these ladies was a portrait of real friendship. Some of the politcal talk was beyond me and later in the book they sped more through the years and the younger girls were hard to keep track of, but still was well worth the read.

[dharmarose · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a good story of frienship and learning. I enjoyed the characters and learning a little more about the time period. However, I skipped all the pages about politics and war, which seemed to be more of a waste.

[paradiseporch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've read this saga twice, ten years apart. I enjoy the development of the multi-generational characters; and I'm touched by the fleetingness of life in this system. The U.S. politics still could not hold my interest, though. Perhaps I will read this again in a few years after I have continued my learning about that period of history.

[greeneyed_ives · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rarely have I ever been truly moved by a novel, especially to the point of tears. “…And Ladies of the Club” was the exception to the rule, so moving were some of the scenes. Set in the years following the Civil War and continuing until the election of FDR, the story follows the lives of two young women and the various characters in their small Ohio town. Santmyer is a master at making the various characters relatable, with no one character a hundred percent perfect or even likeable. That though is why the novel is so great, for the women in the Waynesboro Literary Club are a lot like the women that may be members of an organization that you belong to. “…And Ladies of the Club” is definitely worth the effort despite the length.

[emscape · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This sweeping saga not only entertains, but educates. I was sadly lacking in my knowledge of the post-civil war era, but after reading this book, I can no longer claim that. The focus of the book on two main characters, their descendants, their friends, and their town provides a picture that is both intimate and broad. Basing the story in Ohio when most of the elected leaders hailed from that state gave national significance to the lives of the characters.I was rather disappointed by the second half of the book. It just seemed very depressing and sad for quite a while there. I was also tempted to quit reading it, but fortunately, I did not. The last hundred pages or so really redeemed the second half. The amount of death and destruction in the second half was really just a realistic amount that I am not used to seeing in fiction, especially chick-lit!I believe I caught a glimpse of the author, both in the main character, Anne, and in the young novelist, Tess Stevens. As the author wrote this book over a period of 50 years, Anne's meditations on growing old probably reflected Santmeyer's own feelings about her aging process. Tess notes that she wants to begin writing a sweeping saga in 1930...which is probably about when Helen began writing "...And Ladies of the Club." It would be gratifying to know more about the history of the author and find correlations between her real life experiences and that of her characters. Unfortunately, I have found little information about her thus far. Ultimately, it was enjoyable to spend a month in Santmeyer's world.

[mpultz_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

And Ladies of the Club is quite long and does not always move quickly, but it is very rewarding for those who want to learn about everyday life in nineteenth century small-town America. The novel, which revolves around the members of a female literary club, does not have a rigid, carefully crafted structure; instead, readers simply watch a group of authentic characters live their everyday lives, which are at times peaceful, chaotic, difficult, or joyous. Women's issues, post-Civil War problems, education, industrialization, business, politics, family life, and friendship can all be seen in the context of time and place. In general the pace is steady, never too fast or too slow, making for a long but enjoyable read.

[tloeffler_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the most compelling sagas I have ever read. Worth all 1433 pages.

[nancyjak · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It took me 3 tries and a long time to read this book but once I got into it, I didn't want it to end.It takes you through such a long period of time and you really get invested in the lives of the characters.

[evans411 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Probably the longest book I have ever read. The time wa very well spent. I recommend it highly. I loved the development of the characters. I wish there had been more books wriiten by her.

[bookcrazed_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Santmyer, a retired English professor, began this novel in her forties and completed it shortly before her death in her nineties. The last chapters had to be dictated to a volunteer who wrote it by hand. There was such a rush to get it in print before her death that every page is loaded with typographical errors. Who cares?! Fine writing and a fascinating blend of historical fact and first-hand experience in an account of the daily life and politics of America's educated middle class from 1868 to 1932.

[gfriedman_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"...And Ladies of the Club" centers on the members of a book club and their struggles to understand themselves, each other, and the tumultuous world they live in. A true classic, it is sure to enchant, enthrall, and intrigue readers for years to come.