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A Secret Gift: How One Man's Kindness--and a Trove of Letters--Revea led t - GOOD
US $4.32
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Out of Stock7 sold
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Located in: Montgomery, Illinois, United States
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eBay item number:254663721766
Item specifics
- Condition
- Brand
- Unbranded
- MPN
- Does not apply
- ISBN
- 9781594202704
- Book Title
- Secret Gift : How One Man's Kindness - And a Trove of Letters - Revealed the Hidden History of the Great Depression
- Publisher
- Penguin Publishing Group
- Item Length
- 9.3 in
- Publication Year
- 2010
- Format
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- Item Height
- 1.3 in
- Genre
- Biography & Autobiography, Psychology, Business & Economics, History
- Topic
- United States / 20th Century, United States / State & Local / MidWest (IA, Il, in, Ks, Mi, MN, Mo, Nd, Ne, Oh, Sd, Wi), Personal Memoirs, General, Economic Conditions, Personality
- Item Weight
- 22.3 Oz
- Item Width
- 6.3 in
- Number of Pages
- 384 Pages
About this product
Product Information
An inspiring account of America at its worst-and Americans at their best-woven from the stories of Depression-era families who were helped by gifts from the author's generous and secretive grandfather. Shortly before Christmas 1933 in Depression-scarred Canton, Ohio, a small newspaper ad offered $10, no strings attached, to 75 families in distress. Interested readers were asked to submit letters describing their hardships to a benefactor calling himself Mr. B. Virdot. The author's grandfather Sam Stone was inspired to place this ad and assist his fellow Cantonians as they prepared for the cruelest Christmas most of them would ever witness. Moved by the tales of suffering and expressions of hope contained in the letters, which he discovered in a suitcase 75 years later, Ted Gup initially set out to unveil the lives behind them, searching for records and relatives all over the country who could help him flesh out the family sagas hinted at in those letters. From these sources, Gup has re-created the impact that Mr B. Virdot's gift had on each family. Many people yearned for bread, coal, or other necessities, but many others received money from B. Virdot for more fanciful items-a toy horse, say, or a set of encyclopedias. As Gup's investigations revealed, all these things had the power to turn people's lives around- even to save them. But as he uncovered the suffering and triumphs of dozens of strangers, Gup also learned that Sam Stone was far more complex than the lovable- retiree persona he'd always shown his grandson. Gup unearths deeply buried details about Sam's life-from his impoverished, abusive upbringing to felonious efforts to hide his immigrant origins from U.S. officials-that help explain why he felt such a strong affinity to strangers in need. Drawing on his unique find and his award-winning reportorial gifts, Ted Gup solves a singular family mystery even while he pulls away the veil of eight decades that separate us from the hardships that united America during the Depression. In A Secret Gift , he weaves these revelations seamlessly into a tapestry of Depression-era America, which will fascinate and inspire in equal measure. Watch a Video
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Penguin Publishing Group
ISBN-10
1594202702
ISBN-13
9781594202704
eBay Product ID (ePID)
102917617
Product Key Features
Book Title
Secret Gift : How One Man's Kindness - And a Trove of Letters - Revealed the Hidden History of the Great Depression
Number of Pages
384 Pages
Language
English
Publication Year
2010
Topic
United States / 20th Century, United States / State & Local / MidWest (IA, Il, in, Ks, Mi, MN, Mo, Nd, Ne, Oh, Sd, Wi), Personal Memoirs, General, Economic Conditions, Personality
Genre
Biography & Autobiography, Psychology, Business & Economics, History
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Height
1.3 in
Item Weight
22.3 Oz
Item Length
9.3 in
Item Width
6.3 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
Dewey Edition
22
Lccn
2010-017302
Grade from
Twelfth Grade
Dewey Decimal
977.1/62
Lc Classification Number
F499.C2g87 2010
Copyright Date
2010
Item description from the seller
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:254663721766
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🏆 SUPER STAR 🤩 AMAZING PHOTOS 🎯 ACCURATE DESCRIPTION ✏️ GENUINE PRODUCTS 💎 HIGH QUALITY 🍯 SUPER PRICES 💰 EASY TO WORK WITH 🍰 ECONOMY HANDLING ⏱️ FAST SHIPPING 🚀 BUBBLE PACKAGE 📦 ARRIVED WITHIN DAYS 🌎 EXCEPTIONAL COMMUNICATION 🎙️ OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE 🛎️ GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR 🍿 TOTAL ASSET TO THE EBAY-ECO SYSTEM 🥇 SAVED SELLER 🎱 PROMT REPLY FOR RETURNS 🎯 WOULD BUY FROM AGAIN 🧲 UNDER PROMISES OVER DELIVERS ⛳️ MADE ME VERY HAPPY 🌈 LEFT POSITIVE FEEDBACK 🌼 THANK YOU! 😇 A+++
Product ratings and reviews
Most relevant reviews
- Dec 27, 2010
A gift within a gift
- Feb 02, 2011
Depression gifts & Hope
- Jul 04, 2023
Excellent gift book. Very different in the best possible way.
Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-OwnedSold by: gulfcoastllc
- Feb 04, 2020
Personal life values for one man
Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-OwnedSold by: wonderbooks
- May 09, 2017
Great book of the depression era
Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-OwnedSold by: thrift.books