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Kim
Valinor
Jul 20 2015, 2:12am
Post #26 of 33
(388 views)
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Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
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This is a fictional story based on real life events - for 75 years from the mid-nineteenth century to the beginning of the Depression, orphans in New York were put on trains and sent out to the Midwest. Some ended up as little more than indentured servants working on farms, others were eventually adopted by their new families, and some ran away. There were 200,000 children sent out on these trains in total.
The book centers on one girl who was put on a train in 1929 after she was orphaned a few years after her family emigrated from Ireland. Her story is interlaced with a present day story of a girl in the foster care system, with a lot of parallels in the two girls' stories.
I really liked this book - it was an easy read in terms of speed and accessibility, but the subject matter is one that I'd never heard of, and it was hard to read in places when some less than pleasant things happen to the orphans. I'm amazed that this was allowed to happen for so many years, and that it's not really a well known historical tale. In theory, they were trying to give the children a better life (some were living on the streets of NY), and in many cases, that did happen, but still, shipping kids off and letting pretty much any random person be allowed to take them home seems rather incomprehensible to me. There was some interesting historical information and photos at the end of the book about real life "train riders."
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Mikah
Lorien
Jul 20 2015, 2:59am
Post #27 of 33
(381 views)
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To the best of my knowledge, O'Brien has not revealed it and as you point out, most likely never will. It was indeed bad enough being a baby buffalo, but you just don't really know what people are capable of. On second thought, maybe we do know what people are capable of and that is what causes us to question the story..sigh.
I am very sorry about The Fellowship reading. I did read along some of the posts the first month and thought it was coming along nicely Everyone's insights always make me think of the stories in a way that I hadn't before. I love book discussions for that reason. Regrettably, I was just under so much stress that I was in no condition to participate. Had too much on my plate at the time. I am wondering if possibly people were really busy during the time it was going on or possibly they had stuff going on too? Either way, I will keep my eyes peeled for the next book reading, if it should so happen!
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Brethil
Half-elven
Jul 20 2015, 3:12am
Post #28 of 33
(377 views)
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*waves wildly! Hullo Mikah!* //
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Mikah
Lorien
Jul 20 2015, 3:35am
Post #29 of 33
(373 views)
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Runs over and gives a bear hug!
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Hi Brethil! I was just telling CG earlier how much I have missed you guys! I hope you are all well! I hope Rem Rem is good too!!!!
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cats16
Half-elven
Jul 20 2015, 5:35am
Post #30 of 33
(368 views)
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Hi there, Mikah!
Couldn't resist saying hi while I saw your around the boards. 
*sigh* Yes, I've also been unable to participate in the LOTR read-through since the first couple chapters, regrettably. Always hopeful for the future, though...
And *waves at CG, if he sees this*! Haven't seen you all as much since I've been away from the RR.
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Jul 20 2015, 12:22pm
Post #31 of 33
(347 views)
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That's a very handy chart, thanks!
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I plunged in at "The Truth," the one about newspapers, and am enjoying it immensely so far. How can one person write so many books??? And just when I had finally thinned out my overstuffed home library.
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Jul 20 2015, 12:25pm
Post #32 of 33
(347 views)
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There's enough of us waving to to stir the air on this hot, summer day. :)
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*Waves back at Cats!!* Good to see you as well, and I certainly don't want to lose touch with folks here.
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Mikah
Lorien
Jul 20 2015, 1:55pm
Post #33 of 33
(336 views)
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Hi ya Cats! It is great to see you! I too, am hopeful for the future!
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