Sunday, September 9, 2012

Lifeblood-Ann Funk

Lifeblood


Ann Funk

Fithian Press/Daniel & Daniel Publishers, Sep 10 2012, $16.95

http://www.danielpublishing.com/fithian.htm

ISBN: 9781564745330



In 1856 Thomas Austen, his wife Emma and their twelve year old daughter Sarah sail on the great Western steamer from Liverpool to Boston. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, their destination is to join other Mormons in the Great Salt Lake City area. After settling in their new home, Tomas informs his wife and daughter that he is marrying Rebecca Humphries. This upsets both females but especially Emma. Accompanied by Sarah, Emma leaves for Carson Valley.



In Genoa, Nevada Territory, they obtain household work for Saxon rancher Walther Rottenburg. At the same time, Giovanni Corveddu flees Sardinia after stealing to keep poor families from starving. He arrives in the Nevada Territory working for a mining firm. Over the next few years, Sarah provides medical help to people in the area even as the ranchers and miners fight over water. Walther and Gio admire brave Sarah and each wants to marry her, but she chooses neither preferring to attend medical school in San Francisco as she plans to practice medicine as a licensed physician in Nevada.



Lifeblood is an engaging Americana saga starring a wonderful heroine supported by the people she meets on her journey from an English tweener to a Nevada territory medical doctor. The leisurely paced plot enables the audience to feel we accompany intrepid Sarah as her helping others enables her to help herself achieve her goal. Ann Funk provides a vivid picture of two decades of life in Nevada.



Harriet Klausner

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