Hereafter tells the story of Ellen O'Hara, a young woman emigrant from Ireland at the end of the nineteenth century who, with courage and resilience, made a life for herself in New York, firstly as a domestic servant and later in her own boarding house-all the while financially supporting those at home. Vona Groarke builds this story from historical fact, drawing from various archives for evidence of her great-grandmother Ellen. However, she also considers why lives such as Ellens seem to leave such a light trace in such records and fills in the gaps with memory and empathetic projection. Ellenscrappy, skeptical, and straight-talkingis the heroine of Hereafter, whose resilience animates the story and whose voice shines through with vivid clarity. Hereafter is both a compelling account of an incredible figure and a reflection on how one womans story can speak for more than one life. Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.