Review of Stored Treasures by Minnie Crane/Smader Belkind Gerson

Stored Treasures

A Memoir

Minnie Crane with Smader Belkind Gerson

LuLu.com 2012

ISBN 9781105363436

   This book is a collection of memories that Minnie started writing in her later years. Her grandson, Larry Bogdanow was the instigator of this project when he started giving her a journal for her birthday in her 60's and every year thereafter. It is the story of her family and life from the time she was born Menuche Kranowitz, in Russia in 1896 and emigrated to the USA in 1914 via Ellis Island where she remained until her death at age eighty-five. 

   This is a very unique book in that it was done as a labor of love in Minnie's memory. Her great-granddaughter, Smader, became obsessed with doing a genealogy of the family. She collected all the journals, family photos and documents, internet research and everything she could find in order to bring this book to fruition. Finally twenty-nine years after her death, the labor of love was completed and published. The book contains the writings of Minnie, photos galore of family, documents, death, marriage and birth certificates. The author did not do much editing other then clarifying things that may not have been understood by the reader. The end result was an attempt to keep it as true to her great grandmother as possible. There may be times the reader remembers reading something before. This is because Minnie already wrote about it before. Join Minnie as she lives through two world wars, a pandemic and the Great Depression. 

   If you are interested in learning some history first hand and enjoy photos as much as I do, then you will certainly enjoy this book of memoirs. If you just like a good read, then you can't go wrong. It is a fast moving journey through the life of Minnie Crane and her family.

   I wish to thank Smader Belkind Gerson for providing me with a copy of the book for reading and reviewing purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in anyway except for receiving the book to review.

I give Stored Treasures 5 out of 5 stars