 |
| Media room Sample book review |
A life well lived…
“The Sugar’s at the Bottom of the Cup” is really two stories in one book. It’s not only one woman’s compelling life story, it’s also a narrative blueprint for learning to live one’s life to the fullest. Co-authored by the late Elda Del Bino Willitts and journalist Patricia Lynn Henley, the story is presented entirely in Elda’s first-person voice, giving readers the experience of a friendly, uplifting visit with this strong, loving and resilient woman.
The book includes Elda’s heartwarming immigrant experiences, her classic rags-to-riches tale, and the wisdom she developed persevering against the hard cards life dealt her, including family frictions and her own multiple battles against cancer. Covering most of the 20th century and a bit of the 21st, “The Sugar’s at the Bottom of the Cup” is both an enjoyable read and a thought-provoking primer for crafting a rewarding and fulfilling life.
One of the strengths of Elda’s tale is its completeness—she does not just talk about the best times in her life; she describes all that she has gone through, both good and bad, and how these shaped her into a woman who has “finally learned to savor the small daily miracles of love, joy, forgiveness, appreciation, and gratitude.”
Elda recalls delightful details from her life in Northern Italy, San Francisco, Marin County, and, finally, Sonoma Valley in the heart of California’s Wine Country. Her personal experiences are set against the backdrop of these changing locales and the events that shaped her generation -- the Great Depression, World War II, the conformist 1950s, the turbulent 1960s, right up to late 2004, when the book was published.
Told when she was young that “all the sugar’s at the bottom of the cup -- you may taste bitter coffee now, but the sweetness will come,” Elda became convinced there would be sugar in her life, if she watched and waited for it. Generally, you find what you look for, so this book details how Elda learned to spot the sweetness in her life, even when at times she was awash in bitter coffee.
A Stanford graduate with a master’s degree in journalism, Patricia Henley met Elda in 1997, as part of a routine writing assignment for a local Sonoma Valley newspaper. Together they crafted a compelling tale of a life that was both ordinary and extraordinary, giving readers hope that they, too, can follow Elda’s positive path through life.
According to the book’s web site (www.SugarAtTheBottom.com), Elda “died peacefully around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, January 11, 2005 at her home in Sonoma, surrounded by her loving family.” This book remains as the sole way to meet and get to know this remarkable woman.
"The Sugar's at the Bottom of the Cup" (ISBN 0-9774602-0-7 ) is available at bookstores nationwide, through amazon.com and online at www.SugarAtTheBottom.com.
Zucchero Press
To schedule an interview with, or personal appearance by, Patricia Lynn Henley, please contact Lisa Walter at lisa@adamswalter.com or 707.996.1529.
Media Room Contents:
 |
The
Sugar’s at the Bottom of the Cup U.S.
$24.95 |
Home page | About the authors | Chapter one | Reviews | Media Room | Order the book | Email us