"Good Night, Annie Kate"

About the Book

This memoir, Good Night, Annie Kate combines a young girl's diary written in 1921 with the story of her family. The story compares Annie Kate growing up in the 1920's flapper era and WWI to Alice growing up in the Great Depression and WWII. Even though these two sisters were 24 years apart in age, family solidarity allowed them to be not only sisters, but also great friends as well.

If you are interested in the early pioneers of farming in Central Illinois, this is a must-read. The book presents a couple that began their marriage in 1898 in a log house in the heart of the Midwest (Peoria, Illinois). The marriage produced twelve children. You learn how this industrious couple raised their offspring to be healthy productive people through two world wars and the great depression.

Good Night, Annie Kate not only covers the history of times long ago but also contains biographies of each individual in the family and the interactions of the family members throughout the 20th Century. The book has touches of humor, pathos (will Annie Kate ever catch a beau?), a dab of psychology (the author's insight into how people react to various situations in their lives as a result of observing eleven older brothers and sisters.)

The book also contains 16 photos.

About the Author

Alice M. Schwager holds a B. S. in Journalism from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. She is a published free-lance writer and has been listed in Marquis "Who's Who of American Women" several times. She is currently a member of the "Society of Professional Journalists" and "Sisters in Crime".
Born in Peoria, Illinois, she enjoys oil painting in the semi-impressionist style. In younger years, she was involved in Sports Car Road Racing.

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