Title: Reflections Part 1
Author: Kenny Harmon
Publisher: Writers Branding, LLC
ISBN: 978-1639458059
Pages: 186
Genre: Memoir / History
Reviewed by: Susan Brown
Hollywood Book Reviews
A grandpa’s hamburger cookout-gone-awry for his grandchildren was the catalyst for author Kenny Harmon to take a look back at his family’s history and heritage in this narrative, Reflections Part 1. The cookout event, however, inspired a social media outpouring of interest which culminated in an outdoor gathering that brought more than 2,000 people from around the country together to celebrate Harmon – even the grandkids who missed the original cookout.
The backstory: Harmon’s granddaughter posted a photo of him with the caption: “dinner with papaw tonight … he made 12 burgers for all 6 grandkids and I’m the only one who showed up. Love him.” The post went viral, which in the social media world means it “nearly broke the internet” with more than 225,00 likes and 137,000 retweets. His story engendered an outpouring of support from the media, businesses, large and small, and even the gifting of a vacation package by a national airline.
Although none of Harmon’s grandchildren intended to hurt his feelings by missing his barbecue, the event did help shine a light on the most important part of Harmon’s life – family; and that sentiment is at the heart of this book along with an incredible amount of historical data. It is encyclopedic in scope and history buffs will have a field day! Did you know: Snickers are the most popular candy sold in Oklahoma? Who knew?
This book begins with a look back at the origins of the Harmon family in Germany and moves forward to their arrival in the United States and final settling in Oklahoma. Throughout, it is an interwoven fusion of Harmon’s personal and family history with important historic and cultural dates, events and milestones from America’s past, complete with an eclectic mix of relevant black and white photos. Readers will discover that Harmon loved drag racing and that his favorite movie was The Curse of Frankenstein; that “The Devil with the Blue Dress” was a favorite road trip song; that one family member might even have been a member of the outlaw Jesse James gang; the music of Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels is still his favorite band; that Mickey Mantle is his favorite baseball player and that he is an ardent University of Oklahoma fan.
I think every reader can relate in some way to Harmon’s musings on his life. It captures the importance of family, the essence of a life well-lived and an appreciation of history and its impact on who we become. In spite of the fact that the moniker Sad PaPaw is associated with the author, his memoir pays tribute to the joy he welcomed throughout his life. It is heart-warming, uplifting and an enjoyable way to while away an afternoon.