Winners – The Red Leather Diary

There was a terrific response to this give-away with more than 70 entrants! I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the living history and unexpected discoveries which you shared with me. If you are reading this post and have not done so yet, I strongly encourage you to check out the comments on the give-away post – they are fascinating.

I used the Random.org true number generator to pick the five lucky winners. I’ve listed them below with their comments:

comment #56: Amanda from Life in a Suitcase

I’ve found pieces of history in a couple of ways. First off, I was an archaeology major. On my first dig in England, all I managed to find were some nails and a bit of friable grey pottery. My advice for everyone is not to dig up the ditches of Roman forts. It’s just not terribly exciting. However, I learned all the basics, which were helpful when I was in Greece – amongst a great deal of pottery and other things, we found some burials. It was incredibly cool to be involved in unearthing a part of history.

Closer to home, I helped my Nana clean out her basement when she moved about ten years ago. Beyond finding my uncle’s old hash pipe, I also came across a Dear John letter written to my grandfather from a woman he had been involved with in England, during the war. It was fascinating.

comment #14: Lexie from The Reader, Dreamer, Reclusive Seer

Whenever I go to the Goodwill I find items that make me think ‘Who owned this? Why?’. Especially clothing and shoes. I can’t imagine someone wearing blue sequined stiletto boots so many times that the soles were scuffed and the edges of the shoe were frayed! More recently we found my paternal grandmother’s diary from the time when she first married granddad until about twenty years ago when he died. Grandma’s handwriting was ever small and neat and hard to write and her diary was no different. This made me want to learn more about what life had been like for her during the years after WW2 and the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Raising five kids, a stay-at-home mom who hid her meat-aversion and had few hobbies…I wondered what it was like.

comment #37: Lauren from Shooting Stars Mag

I’ve never really found anything from the past, but I do love going through all photos and keepsakes of my mom’s. I think it’s a lot of fun to see who she was then.

I’d love to read this book! Thanks for the contest.

comment #60: S. Krishna from S. Krishna’s Books

Living history: I’ve always been interested in my father’s history. He grew up incredibly poor in a village in India (he didn’t have enough money for shoes) and now runs an extremely successful computer company. Hearing about his past is so interesting – I’ve considered writing a book about his life!

comment #22: Jennifer

Eight years after my great-grandfather passed and three years after moving all my belongings as well as my great-grandfathers to my new house, I came across a box of “stuff”. I found letters and pictures to my great-grandmother when my great-grandfather was in WWII. What a quite moment. I would love to read this book because of the history, but I love diaries as well. Thanks Wendy!

I will be sending you each an email – please respond to that email in the next five (5) days with your snail mail address so I can get your book out to you!

THANK YOU!