Anne Morrow Lindberg was a well-educated, highly intelligent person, a gifted writer, and a poet par excellence. She was a loyal and loving yet subservient wife, a wonderful mother, and an accomplished pilot, navigator, and adventurist. She also had quite a story to tell herself and to be told by others.
I have seen the movie depictions, read the books about her super hero husband, and most recently read a wonderful historical fiction work by Melanie Benjamin, The Aviator's Wife that filled in numerous voids in what the public knows about the intimacies and facts surrounding the Lindbergs, fictional though some of it may be.
All these literary glimpses and silver screen journeys into the private lives of the not so private first family of aviation encouraged me to read Gift from the Sea. Anne Morrow Lindberg was not the first or only woman to suffer, sacrifice, and take up her dutiful place in the shadow of a powerful and influential husband and remain quiet and unimposing up to a point. But she is unique in the fact that she has allowed a look into her mind, heart, and soul through her own works.
Gift from the Sea is a treasure to be appreciated slowly and repeatedly because one fast read will not disclose the wonders and beauties of the great pearl formed through the tragedies, irritations, heartbreak, and disappointments that deposited themselves in the oyster of Anne's life.
What does a woman subordinated to the egotistical needs and demands of the most famous man in the world, with a vision the size of that world need, want, and dream of in the mature years of her life. Her repayment for years of dedicated service and seemingly unrequited love for a man with an agenda was to betrayal and placed second, third, or fourth in line of her dear, sweet husband and his other lovers and mothers of his illegitimate children.
Alone on a beach, in a small cottage, walking along the shoreline with only the gentle rolling surf and waves lapping at the sand to speak to her, Anne finds that she resonates with the beauty, utility, freedom, and natural splendor of the vacated sea shells that she finds. A variety of colorful and gracefully designed shells speak different messages to her soul. And she shares those musings with the readers.
The past will not change, the present is being formed in the crucible of her life already lived and the decisions she will make based on where and who she's been. Anne spoke out to the myriad women of the world who could say to and about her life experiences "Amen Sister, speak it, preach it." And preach it she did.
Read Gift from the Sea once, put it down and go back again and again. Almost as if the shells are magic the message matures and morphs with age and the frame of mind of the reader at the time of the read. It's a small book, but it contains a wealth of spiritual jewels for the seeker.
As a male, I recommend this book to both men and women with the suggestion that oftentimes women are better at sharing their heart than are men.
I agree with Anne's daughter Reeve that re-reading the book brings renewed blessings originally penned in 1955 but are still relevant in 2013.
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Reviews with images
This book is an old familiar friend.m
Books were used and in good/great condition as described. That being said they were 20 year anniversay editions NOT 50th year anniversary editions. ( this was only mildly disappointing only because they do not have the insights and comments by Anne's daughter Reeve in the forward) I love this book and have reread it several times. I recommend it to many women every year.
Top reviews from other countries
Diane
Truly the most inspirational book a woman could read
Reviewed in Canada on May 8, 2023
Amazon Customer
A book for a slow read to get life energy back.
Reviewed in India on November 17, 2022Georgina Constance Taylor
Love love love this book
Reviewed in Spain on May 15, 2018