Review: So Big

So Big by Edna Ferber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of Selina Peake DeJong and her son Dirk "SoBig" Dejong. Selina, the daughter of a prosperous Chicago gambler during the turn of the century, is forced to make her own life, when her father passes away. Her journey takes her to rural Illinois, not far from bustling Chicago to teach the children of the local farmers. Her life turns out very different than she expected, but Selina is a strong woman who sees the good in everything and everyone. She is the type of person that turns dreams into realities. These are the values she tries to instill in the children she meets and her own son. The overall theme of the book is about making the most of one's life. You can be rich without having money. It's all about what you do with what you have. "There are only two kinds of people in the world that really count. One kind's wheat and the other kind's emeralds." – Edna Ferber

I enjoyed this book. The writing is superb and draws you in from the beginning. It is obvious why this is a classic book worthy of the Pulitzer Prize. The characters are rich but not without their flaws and the themes are ones that still resonant today. I think this is an often overlooked classic that should be added to reading curriculums.

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