About The Legacy of Prairie Winds: Third Edition by Glenda K Clare:
The family saga of Johann Gehring, who at sixteen years old, travels to America. He begins his new life in the prairies of Nebraska. There he learns to dig a well and exist amid nature’s foes: tornados, prairie fires, and freezing winters.
Johann changes his name to John and finds love with Helena.
Together they build a home and raise five independent children including the head-strong, Berta. Helena teaches her children to be as strong as the prairie cottonwood. She warns that someday they will need to bend in the wind and support each other.
Berta vow to be as formidable as the cottonwood tree — battle scars and all. She will be tested family deaths, caring for her siblings over the history of Nebraska. The Gehring family stands united against the Stock Market Crash, the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, Spanish Flu, and German prejudices of WWI. The Gehring family remains strong in their love of family, faith, and the blessings of the Nebraska Sandhills.
All of the historical facts are true; the names of the characters are fictional.
Reviewed June 4, 2025
Format: Kindle Cristella
This story captivated me in so many ways. Was it true? It surely could have been. This whole story, beginning with Johan’s desire to be a farmer, to him leaving his homeland and travelling far from his roots to make America his home, touched my heart. I lived inside this inside these pages and I felt at home among this wonderful family who grew and expanded into many.
I cannot recommend this story enough for its display of courage, resilience, faith through loss, and endearing family love. This is a Christian story and one that displays what the strength of family standing together, is all about.
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Author Bio:
I grew up in the middle of Nebraska on a farm located not far from the prairie Sand Hills. The history I learned from listening, visiting, and living in this environment formed this novel.
My great-great grandfather is the muse for my novel as well as Bertha, my grandmother.
From an early age, I sat on the arm of my grandmother’s over-stuffed rocking chair as she read to me. Her tools were Every Child’s Story Book, Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates which led to reading Jack London and Agatha Christie. The love of literature and power of words was her gift to a wide-eyed small girl.
I taught English Literature and creative writing. But now retired, her dream is now to focus on my own writing and has been awarded the Bess Streeter Aldrich 2023 Short Story award and had published novels: The Legacy of Prairie Winds, Women of Dust and Wind, and two young adult novels, Time for Courage, Surviving Yellowstone and Propelling Beyond Barriers: Evelyn Sharp, No Ordinary Girl.
A life-long dream had been to focus on my own writing. This was the time! I love the art of creating characters and the musical sounds of words.