Back to home page
|Listed in category:
|
Add to Watchlist
BUY 3, GET 1 FREE (add 4 to cart)See all eligible items and terms

Picture 1 of 1

Last item available
A Secret Gift: How One Man's Kindness--and a Trove of Letters--Revealed t - GOOD - Picture 1 of 1
Have one to sell?
Sell now

A Secret Gift: How One Man's Kindness--and a Trove of Letters--Revealed t - GOOD

SecondSalecom
  • (3322107)
US $4.32
Condition:
Good
Last One / 7 sold
Breathe easy. Free shipping and returns.
Shipping:
Free Economy Shipping. See detailsfor shipping
Located in: Montgomery, Illinois, United States
Delivery:
Estimated between Fri, May 31 and Mon, Jun 3 to 43230
Estimated delivery dates - opens in a new window or tab include seller's handling time, origin ZIP Code, destination ZIP Code and time of acceptance and will depend on shipping service selected and receipt of cleared paymentcleared payment - opens in a new window or tab. Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods.
Returns:
30 days returns. Seller pays for return shipping. See details- for more information about returns
Payments:
      
Earn up to 5x points when you use your eBay Mastercard®. Learn moreabout earning points with eBay Mastercard

Shop with confidence

Top Rated Plus
Top rated seller, fast shipping, and free returns. Learn more- Top Rated Plus - opens in a new window or tab
eBay Money Back Guarantee
Get the item you ordered or your money back. Learn moreeBay Money Back Guarantee - opens new window or tab
Report this item - opens in new window or tab
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:254663721766
Last updated on May 22, 2024 14:08:22 PDTView all revisionsView all revisions

Item specifics

Condition
Good: A book that has been read but is in good condition. Very minimal damage to the cover including ...
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
Item Length
9.3in
Publisher
Penguin Publishing Group
Publication Year
2010
Format
Hardcover
Language
English
Item Height
1.3in
Author
Ted Gup
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 Width
6.3in
Item Weight
22.3 Oz
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
Author
Ted Gup
Format
Hardcover
Language
English
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
Publication Year
2010
Genre
Biography & Autobiography, Psychology, Business & Economics, History
Number of Pages
384 Pages

Dimensions

Item Length
9.3in
Item Height
1.3in
Item Width
6.3in
Item Weight
22.3 Oz

Additional Product Features

Lc Classification Number
F499.C2g87 2010
Grade from
Twelfth Grade
Copyright Date
2010
Lccn
2010-017302
Dewey Decimal
977.1/62
Intended Audience
Trade
Dewey Edition
22

Item description from the seller

SecondSalecom

SecondSalecom

98.1% positive feedback
24.6M items sold
Visit storeContact
Joined Aug 2002

Detailed seller ratings

Average for the last 12 months

Accurate description
4.9
Reasonable shipping cost
5.0
Shipping speed
5.0
Communication
5.0

Popular categories from this store

See allcategories
BooksCDDVD & Blu-RayVideo GamesOther

Seller feedback (5,921,334)

f***_ (555)- Feedback left by buyer.
Past 6 months
Verified purchase
Very smooth transaction. Book in good condition and quick shipping - Thank you!
See all feedback

Product ratings and reviews

Learn more
Write a review
5.0
5 product ratings
  • 5 users rated this 5 out of 5 stars
  • 0 users rated this 4 out of 5 stars
  • 0 users rated this 3 out of 5 stars
  • 0 users rated this 2 out of 5 stars
  • 0 users rated this 1 out of 5 stars

Would recommend

Good value

Compelling content

Most relevant reviews

See all 5 reviews
  • by dontwc
    Dec 27, 2010

    A gift within a gift

    I had already gotten it as an audiobook from the library. It was so good that I bought it to give it as a birthday gift to my father. What began as a collection of very touching stories about one man's anonymous gifts became an intriguing mystery about what this man had successfully kept hidden for his entire life. Using the pen name, B. Virdot, Depression Era retailer Sam Stone placed an ad in the newspaper offering a small cash gift to 75 needy people for Christmas. Like the old radio commentator, Paul Harvey, Ted Gup regales us with "the rest of the story" behind each emotional plea for help. This would have been a sweet enough tale if it stopped there, but Gup's talents as a reporter, and the fact that Sam Stone was his grandfather, cause him to keep diving deeper until he learns of ...

  • by rngenie
    Feb 02, 2011

    Depression gifts & Hope

    I saw the book mentioned in Ancestry.com newsletter, I believe, and I read the article. Being very interested in genealogy/history and receiving a gift certificate to Barnes & Nobles for Christmas, I purchased the book. I was very impressed with how the author made that period in our history much more real, and the hope these gifts gave others; similiar to the situation we are facing today with job lay-offs or losing jobs to other countries.

  • by jeanekennedy
    Jul 04, 2023

    Excellent gift book. Very different in the best possible way.

    I read this book in the past and liked it so much I gave another copy as a gift.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-OwnedSold by: gulfcoastllc

  • by wall2wallbks
    Feb 04, 2020

    Personal life values for one man

    The book examples how one person accomplished so much with so little.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-OwnedSold by: wonderbooks

  • by df1961
    May 09, 2017

    Great book of the depression era

    It had me riveted the entire book. Great nonfiction write

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-OwnedSold by: thrift.books

More to explore :