Hitch Your Wagon to a Star


Non-Fiction - Biography
386 Pages
Reviewed on 11/12/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

I am a retired educator and a recent author. Teaching writing was much easier than "real" writing; I've learned a lot! This first book was a journey.

I grew up in the Kilgore, Texas described in Hitch Your Wagon to a Star. a town forever changed after the oil boom, a town rapidly changing during my childhood. It was a good place to be a kid! We rode our bikes everywhere, were unaware of danger, played hard and with great abandon, and were unencumbered by cell phones or any other tethers to the "adult world". When it was time to eat, we went home. It was a special, child-friendly world, a real juxtaposition to the reality faced by today's youngsters.

In a sense, I never had to give up childhood magic. Teaching elementary-age students allowed daily connections to the delight of new learning and the joy of watching fledgling creativity emerge. It was the right profession for this dreamer! Revisiting all my book friends when sharing favorites with students was always a favorite part of each day.

Today, I share my love of learning and my love of literature with my two grandsons. With my husband, Lewis, I share traveling and sailing...and, of course, the joys of being grandparents.

More books are in the works.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

Hitch Your Wagon to a Star by Terri W. Majors is a beautiful and compelling biography, set against the backdrop of the turbulent years of the 1920s, a period that witnessed the rising oil market, the Great Depression, the aftermath of the First World War, and the years that followed. What was it like for a Texan girl born in poverty to live during such a time and to have a dream? What were the challenges — cultural, educational, and relational? In this biography, the author chronicles Melba’s life, from poverty through the different forms of struggles, and how she became an icon for her three girls and other women.

Although this is a biography, Terri W. Majors, has done a wonderful job in helping readers get a very powerful glimpse of the 1920s and the Baby Boomer period. Melba is a determined young girl when the story starts, an intelligent girl who knows the value of keeping secrets — and this plays out so well for her, and is a gift that many people do not understand. It’s only later in her life that her fondness for keeping things secret comes across as one of her most powerful skills and something that helps her succeed in the path she’s chosen. The story is set at a time when women suffered many prejudices. The protagonist fought for what she believed, facing untold challenges from her early life, through her student days. What is most astonishing is how she gains the wisdom that she later imparts to her own children.

The protagonist is the kind of character that readers will love to stick with, a hero for women who feel uncertain or who suffer from low self-worth. She is portrayed as secretive, confident, and determined, but these are not qualities that come naturally to her and it is interesting to see how she focuses on personal growth. When about to start her college studies, Melba expressed her determination in the following words: “I’m going to RACE through college, Mom! I have so many goals; this time I'm not going to be held back…! And, somewhat surprisingly, registration was a piece of cake!” Melba proclaimed with a lilt in her voice. “I’m really feeling intoxicated about the future!” Hitch Your Wagon to a Star is an inspirational biography with powerful historical references, a story that will inspire women who want to make a huge difference.

Faridah Nassozi

As a 1920s child, Melba, from a very young age, often found immense unfairness in the way society set standards and expectations for girls and boys. This feeling developed in her a desire to find a higher purpose than what was expected from her as a woman growing up at that time. Life did not give her a straight path to her dreams, but Melba was not one to give up. She went through the hoops life set for her, even if it meant putting her ultimate goal on hold for several years. Melba's headstrong character, eternal desire to defy the norm, great eye for beautiful things, and her dream of a bigger life purpose shaped her ultimate path. Through this biography, you get to witness Melba's amazing transformation from willful child to amazing wife and mother, and finally to chasing dreams long put on hold.

Hitch Your Wagon to a Star by Terri W. Majors is a captivating biography that captures an amazing journey that began in the 1920s, with engaging details through the years as seen through the memories of a remarkable woman. Melba's headstrong character and her often optimistic view of life will be a source of great inspiration to many readers. Her journey is in many ways a testament to how much the role of woman in society has evolved, but it is also a firm reminder of how much is yet to be achieved in the same regard. As a 21st century woman, I found her journey very insightful and inspiring. If you are looking for a biography you can dive into that captures the true essence of life from the 1920s through the years, then Hitch Your Wagon to a Star will make a perfect choice for you.