The Story of My Life , or More Than Half a Century as I Have Lived it and Seen it Lived. By G. C. Rankin , D. D. (Dallas: 1912. 12mo, Pp. 356, Vol. I.)

This volume covers the life of Dr. Rankin down to the time of his election as editor of the Texas Christian Advocate, fourteen years ago. Previous to that election he had spent four years at Shearn Church, Houston, and two years at First Church, Dallas. The volume, therefore, covers only a small portion of his activity in Texas. The author promises another volume, the material for which has already been accumulated but is too warm to hand out. “In that second and final volume there will be something racy and rare in the literature of the Lone Star State.”

The present volume “is not technically an autobiography, for it deals with many persons and incidents outside of myself.” “I have grouped certain periods and certain incidents around myself and told the simple story without much accuracy of chronology.” These sentences indicate somewhat the plan of the book. The first half of the volume is superior to the second half both as regards choice of subject matter and treatment. The story of his childhood, the courage with which the fatherless boy faced the world, the privations he endured to obtain an education—the account of his kind grandmother, of his own mother's fortitude, of the helpfulness of friends—the pictures of life in his native community, of the scenery of East Tennessee and of the character and originality of the leaders in that region—all these are well told and will win the sympathy and admiration of his readers, young and old.

The second half of the volume is different. The plan of the book is not adapted to the subject matter treated; as a result, the narrative is fragmentary; the style becomes repetitive, digressive, and perfunctory. The author's statements in the Foreword, “I owe nothing to fortune, to kindred or good luck” and “I have had to become, from sheer necessity, the architect of my own position and character in the world,” must have found their origin in writing this portion of the book. However, they are amply refuted by the narrative itself.

The volume is illustrated with reproductions of the photographs of the author, his mother, and members of his family, and of Professor and Mrs. M. H. B. Burkett, Revs. W. E. Munsey, Jno. H. Brunner and Abe Mulkey and Gov. W. G. Brownlow. A few crude pen sketches are also included.

E. W. Winkler .

How to cite:
Winkler, E. W., "The Story of My Life", Volume 016, Number 2, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, Page 218 - 219. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v016/n2/review_24.html
[Accessed Mon Nov 23 12:57:57 CST 2009]