The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

I watched this movie yesterday with my mom. I don't know why but I was totally into it and now obsessed with Eveyln Ryan. The movie was based on the book by her daughter Terry "Tuff" Ryan.

So the story is Evelyn Ryan is the mother of 10. The husband drinks a lot and spends most of the families money on supporting that habit. They live in poverty but Evelyn keeps them going by entering contests; jingle writing contests and sometimes she wins big. She is really good with words and is able to keep the family going by doing this. During the course of the movie she receives a letter from another Contester and they start writing back and forth. Very witty letters that really remind me of modern day blogs and of modern day bloggers. These were very smart women.

I really want to read the book now. I want to read the book that was done before the movie. Yes, there is now one after the movie, probably the content is the same but still..... I want to read everything about this.

Why?

This was a time before the internet. This was what women did to stay "sharp" and "witty".... Her words in the movie. There weren't choices for most women to go out and work or be smart. You had to be a wife and mother. ONLY. That point was driven home in the movie over and over.

In ways the contesting she did was not only her way of keeping the family feed, clothed and housed, but also her creative outlet. It really reminded me of .... well like I said Bloggers.

I recommend this movie to all you Mommy Bloggers out there. I don't know if it would appeal to men quite the same but hey, it is a great flick.