Title: A Sailor’s Tale: Miss Judith 1902-1904 Miss Molly
Author: Edward G. Hlusko
Publisher: Edward Hlusko
ISBN: 978-1959071983
Pages: 334
Genre: Biography
Reviewed by: Ephantus M.
Hollywood Book Reviews
A Sailor’s Tale: Miss Judith 1902-1904 Miss Molly by author Edward G. Hlusko is the second edition of the ventures of a US Navy sailor who entered the Navy in 1882 as a teenager. He wrote letters to his supposedly thirteen-year-old niece, Miss Judith. He had been to Alaska, the Missouri River, and the Mediterranean and had had some horrific life incidents by the time he was writing these messages.
As the read commences, the sailor’s warm narration takes readers on a journey through Palermo, Kodiak town, Sutwik Island, and the Alaska Peninsula. Beautiful lands, seafood, hearty conversations, and stories shared between colleagues and natives light up the chapters. The ship’s crew often prepares for admiral inspections, orders are continuously given, and they are forced to adapt to various climatic changes. A display of military ground power here and there is crucial, and the author does a great job showcasing this. He further lets readers in on the possible reactions of Miss Judith as she reads the sailor’s letters in a quiet village in Western Pennsylvania amidst snickers, giggles, and laughs.
The book takes on a newfangled approach with epistolary entries that leave no stone unturned. You will admire Edward G. Hlusko’s patience and effort in chronologically arranging these letters and in employing ample research and skill in them. Readers will encounter an armchair traveling experience across different continents as the sailor details his experiences.
This book has it all- rich detail, grace, and solidity. At once witty and sobering, the text offers a powerful record of a resilient man and his adventures in a field and period little known to many. The few books in the market that have taken an epistolary approach often tend to be derailed in their chronology and readers experience a hard time figuring out what is going on based on uneven recounting. Not so here in Hlusko’s book. Each page opens a new door to a new story and world with each sentence building a well-organized story to keep you engaged.
Indeed, A Sailor’s Tale: Miss Judith 1902-1904 Miss Molly has managed to create a sense of intimacy and immediacy. Edward G. Hlusko proves that a great story does not have to be told in the usual traditional form to catch the reader’s attention. It is an apt tribute which shines a light on a little-known hero whose courage and resilience impacted the world we live in, in his unique ways. Fans of epistolary literature will find much to savor here.