Audacity

I wasn't thrilled when our book club chose this book to read; poetry is not my thing. I was encouraged by a friend to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did. It was a quick read, literally a page-turner. The story of Clara grabbed me from the first pages. As an added bonus, I got to meet delightful Melanie Crowder at a lecture, and was enthralled by the details of her research, including speaking to some of Clara's descendants. What a wonderful book to share with your teenage daughters or granddaughters!

I loved the poetic form in this book which gave the story a photographic feel somehow. I’m interested in the lives of the workers in Essex County, Massachusetts, the epicenter of the industrial revolution in the United States. Many commonalities with these girls decades later. My grandmother belonged to the union Clara helped found.

This is a beautifully written story. I am using this with a group of high school students who are learning about child labor and immigration. It has been well received by all of the students. Everyone is impressed by the amount of information and emotion in the use of writing the story as a poem. It demonstrates the power of words and in this odd day and age, that powerful stories can be told in many formats.

It took a few pages to enjoy the cadence of the prose and then thoroughly enjoyed the style.An interesting view of the Russian progrom and exodus to the US along with the immigrant experience of the early 2oth century.

I wasn’t sure I was going to like the poem style format, but it worked so well for this story that made you proud to know Clara. The interviews and info at the end of the book gave more insight into her, although I had already looked her up on Wikipedia,but there was so much more info at the end of the book. Should have included the Rugelach recipe

This is an extraordinarily satisfying read. The free verse form of poetrymade the book pull the reader further into the story and the character.At first I didn't think that I would be hooked into the telling of this trueaccount but it was riveting and a must read by a larger group ofreaders. Bravo Melanie for this superb work.

I haven't read a lot of novels in verse, but I love poetry and I love YA and historical novels, so this was a win-win-win for me. Crowder's poetry is lyrical but easy to read. The pages flew by as we saw Clara grow and become this firebrand of a woman. The end also has a brief biography and interviews with Clara's surviving family members.A brilliant read. It deserves all the starred reviews it's been receiving!

Prose is such a grand way to invite a reader to want more. I admire anyone who is able to say more with efficient use of words. Melanie has accomplished this with Audacity. This does not even touch on the beautiful topic she choose about workers rights, particularly working women's rights. Sadly, something which has yet to be resolved world wide.