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Roxanne Rowley has been a guest columnist for the Manistee News Advocate since 2014. These are her stories. “Roxanne Rowley’s columns are a delight. She can touch your heart with recollections that bring tears to your eyes and the next moment put a smile on your face. This is definitely a book for your reading list.”
—James H. Goodwin, author The Truth is in her Genes and To Find What was Lost “Roxanne Rowley is a talented and gifted writer, and a wonderful storyteller. She has a clean, easily readable style that could be called “homey” in only the most positive way. Sharing her columns in this book gives those who have not had the pleasure of being exposed to her dry wit and natural ability a great opportunity to catch up on what they have missed. I heartily recommend this book to anyone without hesitation. You won’t regret it and will certainly be entertained.” —Greg Gielczyk, writer for the Ludington Daily News “The Last Pickled Beets, by Roxanne Rowley is a series of poignant memories about a time in America soon to be lost. It is simple, understated, and sad, but sad in a good way because when she talks of her grandparents, you will remember yours, as I have mine. Roxanne’s remembrances bring to life the reality that the older we get, the more clearly, we can see that the most important things in our past are those experiences we begin to dwell on in the autumn of life. If you are a senior citizen this is a wonderful experience in time travel and if you are young it will help you understand your parents or grandparents.” —Charles D. Hayes, author September University: Summoning Passion for an Unfinished Life, and The Rapture of Maturity: A Legacy of Lifelong Learning. Paperback - $12.95 - ISBN 978-1-62491-128-6
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Growing up in rural Central Michigan before the advent of ever-present technology and the constant bombardment of 24/7 news channels meant a much simpler upbringing than childhoods of today. Yes, there was the Cold War going on, but the news was in much smaller doses then and it was easier to not notice—and worry—so much. My five brothers and I played outdoors daily and were required to do chores on our little farm. Homework was a must. We read a lot (because our second-hand TV was frequently on the fritz) and played board games when the weather was inclement. It was a memorable childhood that shaped my brothers and me into the adults we would become: hardworking, respectful, and family-centered. This book is comprised of some of the columns I wrote for our local paper and many of them are recollections of incidents from my growing up years. These little vignettes, while rather autobiographical in nature, seemed to appeal to others who grew up during the same time period. So I hope that this book might stir up fond memories of your childhood and perhaps even some from your adulthood. 
Roxanne finds a friend a long way from Michigan . . . in China.
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