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The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

By: Terry Ryan
Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie
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Publisher's summary

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio introduces Evelyn Ryan, an enterprising woman who kept poverty at bay with wit, poetry, and perfect prose during the "contest era" of the 1950s and 1960s. Standing up to the church, her alcoholic husband, and antiquated ideas about women, Evelyn turned every financial challenge into an opportunity for innovation, all the while raising her six sons and four daughters with the belief that miracles are an everyday occurrence.

©2005 Terry Ryan (P)2012 Simon & Schuster
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What listeners say about The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

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Great Book

Ive listened to this book numerous times as well as watching the movie. It is very inspirational and gives hope to the hopeless.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Good listen. Uplifting story.

A little hard to listen to all the contest entries. But entertaining and a great true life story.

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Great read!

This is a great true Story. Historical, up beat but real, and just plain fun.

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  • Overall
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Great Story & Great Voice Actor

The story was amazing. I am so glad to learn about this incredible woman. If you are interested in the Trad Wives™️ on Tiktok, read this book to get a healthy reminder of the reality women faced in the 1950s. The voice actor did an amazing job reading the jingles Evelyn wrote.

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Gem of a book!

Contesting was unknown to me. What a slice of history discovered through this well crafted gem! As a commuter, I have fallen in love with Audible but that means the narration has to also match my expectations. Both came together and I couldn’t stop listening! Exceptional performance and extraordinarily uplifting, positive story. What a woman. What a family.

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I didn’t want it to end!

Truly a little piece of Americana. I would loved to have known Evelyn Ryan. She was a jewel.

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A reminiscent of joys and not so, but beautiful

Oh how there were many laugh out loud moments as well as heartfelt defeats in this American family living in the 1950's. A large family raised with a less than perfect father and a creative mother that must have stood in line twice at her creation for things like wit, charisma, literary apt and love. I cried at times because I took had a mom that was the contest queen! So many memories and feelings, but would ha e enjoyed this book even if I had not had such a grand experience.

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Excellent

This woman is the spokesperson for positive mindsets change lives. Thank you for sharing her with the world.

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Amazing grit

I loved this story of a large family with the most amazing mother holding them all together, one prize entry after another.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Heartwarming yet unsentimental

If you could sum up The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio in three words, what would they be?

Terry's mom rocks.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mrs. Ryan was an inspiring figure.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book made me laugh and tear up in a few spots...not cry.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed the story. It's told without nostalgia, yet somehow made me think of times now gone. I'll never forget the protagonist and the Ryan family.

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9 people found this helpful