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Reviewed by Jessyca Garcia for Readers' Favorite
I really liked Swinging Bridge: An Anthology by Debra Shiveley Welch. In this memoir, Welch shares both good and bad memories about her life. She also includes some of her poetry and photos throughout the book.
From the very beginning, Welch captured my attention with her stories. I understood how she felt at being the forgotten child. I also understood too well that she used her first marriage as an escape from her unhappy family life. I loved the pictures she included of her family throughout Swinging Bridge. The pictures made the stories seem more personal and real to me. I felt as if Welch was sitting next to me, telling me all of her secrets. I usually have mixed feelings about poetry, but I really enjoyed Welch’s. My favorite poem was the one she wrote at age 14 about the dove flying past her window. That poem made me remember how I felt at age 14, which was oddly similar to Welch’s feelings. I thought that Welch being able to communicate with her loved ones that have passed away was pretty cool. Sometimes I wish I could do that too.
I was so glad that Welch’s son, Chris, proved the doctors wrong about learning. It shows that doctors do not know everything. I can see this story giving hope to parents that have been told the same news. I admire Welch for not saying anything really negative in these stories about the people that have disappointed her in life. I also never thought of life as a swinging bridge before. But now after reading why life reminds Welch of a swinging bridge, I completely agree.
