Description

The Wisconsin Farm They Built: Tales of Family & Fortitude, by Corey Geiger, begins when Elmer Pritzl was thrown into adulthood at the tender age of sixteen after his mother Anna was killed by a train. A clever and crafty fellow, Elmer quickly found work at the local foundry. Promoted to foreman by age eighteen, he began supervising men double and even triple his age during the depths of the Great Depression. However, that professional career track ended abruptly five years later when Elmer fell in love with a farmer’s daughter, Julia Burich. Six months after their wedding, Julia’s father passed away, and with no living male relatives left in her life, Julia’s mother, Anna Burich, asked, “Elmer, will you run my farm?” So, Elmer, born a city boy, transformed his life and began a love affair with a Wisconsin family farm. Join Corey at Manitowoc Public Library on Thursday, March 13, at 6 PM in the Balkansky Community Room for a discussion of this award-winning novel. He pairs his rural roots and lively storytelling talents to capture generational local tales that have been described to him as "conversation starters for families . . . [that] often spark memories among grandparents and parents . . . leading to wonderful conversations within the entire family.” To learn more about Corey’s background and bona fides, head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/wisconsin-farm-they-built-tales-family-and-fortitude-author-event-corey-geiger-20928.