Comments on: The Killilea Family: Where Are They Now?

By: Sandi Wisenberg

Sandi Wisenberg — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:18:02 +0000

I read “The Incredible Journey” when I was a kid, about dogs and cats who made it back home by traversing hundreds and thousands of miles. Now, I know these animals haven’t been alive in a long while, but I wonder if the story was really true.

By: Marlene

Marlene — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:34:33 +0000

Thanks for the update on the Killilea stories. I just finished \Karen\ again after a period of many years, only this time through the eyes of a mother. I always fall a little in love with this family and their big hearts.

What about \Dibs, In Search of Self\ ? I just loved that story and I was grateful for his emotional healing.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:45:05 +0000

Several decades ago, I read a book called “Yours Is The Earth,” about a woman and her toddler daughter, Rose-Helene, who escaped from the Nazi and Fascist occupations of Europe during WWII, making their way from one country to another and over the Alps, and to freedom. Her courage, initiative and endurance were remarkable. (One particular day’s ration consisted of a peach and a bottle of Evian water.) I often wondered if she and her husband were able to reunite, and what Rose-Helene’s life might have been like, after the war, but didn’t know where to begin to research.

By: Susan

Susan — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 19:24:00 +0000

To the person who asked about Purdue, in Belles On Their Toes they talk about how Bill, the second born son, studied engineering at Purdue. If you haven’t had a chance to read this sequel to Cheaper By the Dozen I really recommend it for more info on the family.

As of now it looks like only one of the siblings is still living. Ernestine and Bob both died in 2007 but so far I haven’t seen any information about Fred who was listed as surviving them in their obituararies. How odd it must feel to be the last one from such a big family.

By: Kara

Kara — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:48:58 +0000

Jammy, that B & W photo above is an actual newspaper picture of The Little Red House in flames.

By: Jammy

Jammy — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:05:12 +0000

Pictures or it didn’t happen

By: Laurie Mann

Laurie Mann — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:31:23 +0000

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden was a fascinating book. Unfortunately, the movie they made of it in the late ’70s was a really mixed bag. Kathleen Quinlan was brilliant in the lead, but the adaptation was strange.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:25:55 +0000

Ihave read almost all three of the books of Dave Pelzer and they were page turning and intense….he actually ended up getting married and having his own child…he and his wife split but remained close and he spends lots of time with his child and is not abusive as he fought to not be like his mother….

Another really good read is “I Never Promised You A Rose Garden”..it is a autobio of the author and her bout with mental illness, specilically schizophrenia. It is a vivid story and very beautifully written.

By: Liz B

Liz B — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:09:32 +0000

The Doss family from The Family Nobody Wanted. I’ve been unable to find much on the real family

By: Li

Li — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:45:03 +0000

I don’t even think the recent Cheaper by the Dozen can even be called a remake (I agree, the recent one is terrible as is its sequel.) The only thing the movies have in common is 12 kids and a title. It’s a shame really because the story of the Gilbreth family is so poignant.

They did make a sequel in 1952 based on the sequel to the book, Belles on Their Toes. It follows what happened to the family after Frank Sr dies and the struggles of Lillian providing for the family (discrimination at the time made it harder for anyone to take her seriously, it was 1924.)