Karen Foresti Hempson
Author, Historian, Educator
"History is the telling of stories about people who lived before us in the hopes that we can learn from their struggles and triumphs."
Doris Kearns Goodwin
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Retired teacher of history and college lecturer of social studies education
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Adds a personal touch to historic events by creating true-to-life stories
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Received numerous awards in writing competitions
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Member of the National League of American Pen Women: www.cnybranchof NLAPW.com
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Author of Bean Pickers, American Immigrant Portraits, a creative non-fiction book
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Author of Shellback, a young adult historical fiction novel
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Author of published short stories and essays
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Available for book talks and historical speaking engagements
Bean Pickers, American Immigrant Portraits
In Bean Pickers, eight true-life portrayals focus on the struggles of Italian immigrants and their children, all beginning their American lives as summer bean pickers, all finding their ways out of poverty through such avenues as baseball, bootlegging, unskilled work, or the military. Compelling personal stories of the early twentieth century immigration wave, the Great Depression, and World War II are creatively brought to life, determined to seek a better life. Their experiences may serve as important reminders of the critical roles that immigrants played in building a strong and welcoming nation. Over one hundred authentic photos and documents are interspersed throughout this creative non-fiction book.
Shellback
The protagonist, Francis or “Fudz,” expresses a burning desire to escape the burdens of being the eldest child, especially when his father is severely injured in a construction accident. At an early age, he and his cousin and younger brother take odd jobs to keep their families from starving – summer migrant work, selling newspapers, and bootlegging. Competitive and athletic, their passion is playing baseball, with Francis especially good at it. A baseball scout offers him a contract, but withdraws it when Francis is injured in a factory. With no where to turn, he enlists in the Navy and gets caught in the Japanese surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. The second half of the novel recounts his role on a destroyer, fighting on various islands in the Pacific.
28 Voices
28 Voices is an anthology of 28 essays of a wide range of life's journeys and what was learned from them. The author is featured in her essay, "Humiliation." The essay describes an humiliating experience that occurred as a senior in high school and how she learned from this lesson as a future educator.