Reviews & Testimonials | 480 Codorus Street by Sandra L. Kearse-Stockton

Reviews

by Maryann Kelechi

In a world of over 8 billion people, each person has their own story to tell. Stories personal to them, though interconnected with other persons. This is one of those stories. This story begins with a single teen-mom who has to find a father for her 4 children from different fathers and a husband for herself. While doing this, she must remind herself to substitute longing with responsibility and wants for needs.
The book 480 Codorus Street Book II: Trials and Tribulations, authored by Sandra L. Kearse-Stockton, is a rich capture of a life, the author’s, not perfectly lived yet beautifully experienced. It is an apparent continuation of the author’s first reveal into her own life; 480 Codorus Street Book I. This autobiography reminds its readers of the realities of life and the inevitable passage of time. Knowing that creates a consciousness of our own lives, our own stories, our own truths and points us towards appreciating every moment of love, of loss, of growth, of change. From the author’s lens on life, this includes navigating through family ties, love, passion, motherhood, and responsibilities while still living her own life. Sandra was not just a mother to her children and Tracey. She became a mother to her husband, who, being younger than she was, also needed to figure out his masculine identity. The reflections at the end of the book are a pointer that one cannot truly live life alone. The beauty of living are in the ways our lives are beacons of light to everyone we come across. Sandra expressed this through her resilience, perseverance, courage, and large heart.
I love the way the author reminds us that life is simple. Beautiful. It takes off the pressure of perfection and unrealistic standards, encouraging its readers to want to embrace living a day at a time. Consciously. And intentionally. There are colorful pictures at the end, giving life to the stories within, as the reader gets to see the persons being talked about. The book, however, has several errors with its pages that make it a bit difficult to follow, and is filled with numerous mentions of profane words which can be disturbing to a sensitive reader.
I will rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. Its language is simple and humorous; the message of the book is communicated exhaustively, however, the pagination of the book is sloppy, and there are some errors the editors missed.
Finally, I’d recommend this book to anyone who isn’t dazed by fairytales but loves true storytelling, raw truth, and wants to have a good laugh. And also to anyone who wants to live a full life, one that isn’t focused on how other people live or how society dictates living, but one that is about themselves, their own stories and expressions. Single mothers who also find themselves trying to navigate motherhood, individuality, and longing can also read this book. Sandra shows us how.

by Mandira Samanta

480 Codorus Street: Trials and Tribulations is part of an autobiographical series by Veteran Army Officer and former Lieutenant Colonel Sandra L. Kearse-Stockton. I was tempted to select this memoir as it depicted the struggle of a teenage Negro mother. This book narrates Sandra's fight against adversity and how she enabled herself and her four children to build a complete and stable family. Sandra's search was not only for a suitable husband but also for an ideal father for the children. Sandra's family members and, later, Aaron extended their hands to support her struggle. Sandra and Aaron proved that true love and responsibility can transform a person into a better human being. It was a fulfilling satisfaction when growth came within marriage. Sandra's devotion to education and Aaron's unfaltering assistance made her journey possible. Though the author tried hard to shield her kids from the adversities she faced as a teenage mother, she could not prevent every circumstance. She had to accept things as they were. I liked the sincerity of the author's narration. She never tried to hide her flaws; rather, she rectified them. She always supported her family, relatives, and friends, which demonstrated her generosity. She openly talked about racial discrimination, behavioural problems, unwanted parenthood and domestic violence. Her language was lucid and kept her readers engaged throughout the narration. The author provided several personal photographs to add authenticity to her narration. Her memoir proved that love was not about emotional and physical attachment; true love required maturity, selflessness, sympathy, and sincerity to work out. The profanity in this memoir was a drawback. Cultural differences made this thing even more unbearable to me. Except for a few minor typos, this book is professionally edited. Despite typos and foul language, I would love to give this book 5 out of 5 stars because it encouraged selfless love and unyielding willpower. I would like to recommend this book to all memoir lovers looking for an inspiring story.

by Anna Harlowe

On behalf of the entire team at Reader's House magazine, I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for taking the time to participate in an interview with us. Your insights, experiences, and creative journey were truly inspiring, and we're honoured to have had the opportunity to feature you in our publication.
Your contribution to the literary world is invaluable, and we believe that your words have the power to touch the hearts and minds of readers around the globe. Your dedication to your craft is evident in every word you write, and it's a privilege for us to be able to share your story with our audience.
As a token of our appreciation and admiration for your work, I am delighted to inform you that you have been selected as one of the recipients of our Editor's Choice Award of Literary Excellence. This award is bestowed upon a select number of esteemed authors who have made significant contributions to the literary community, and it is our way of recognising and celebrating your talent, creativity, and dedication to the craft of writing.
Please find attached (links) to this email your award certificate, which serves as a symbol of our appreciation and gratitude for your outstanding achievements. We hope that it will serve as a reminder of the impact your work has had on readers and fellow writers alike.
Once again, thank you for sharing your time and talent with us. We are immensely grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with you and look forward to continuing our partnership in the future.

by Kinjal Trivedi

480 Codorus Street: Trials and Tribulations by Sandra L. Kearse- Stockton. It is a very emotional and inspiring book based on true events, which honestly shows the struggles of Sandra L. Kearse-Stockton in her life and the efforts she made for her family. The most impressive thing in this book was that she worked hard and struggled for her four children and did not give up even in all the difficult situations. Her life was not easy, but she raised her children well and tried to live a good life. Her responsibility and courage as a mother make this story emotional.
I also liked that she met a very nice and supportive partner in her life, Aaron, who supported her in difficult times. The support of her family and friends also plays an important role in her life. The book also shows that she has traveled to some countries, which has broadened her experience, which makes this story more interesting. In chapter 13, I found a very interesting part of this book when an important thing related to Aaron comes to light. After this chapter, the story becomes more engaging.
This book contains profanity and mature content in some places, so this book is suitable for people aged 18+. The writing style is clean and good, and I did not find any typos or grammatical errors, due to which I did not feel interrupted while reading.
I especially liked the last part of the book when Sandra's daughter gave birth to a child. It was emotional and full of happiness. At the end of the book, the author and her family have also given some real photos, which were very beautiful to see. Seeing these photos, I felt that this is not just a story, but it is a glimpse of real life, and in addition, a quote at the end was also inspiring: "Never underestimate your own ability to affect positive change in others; we are stronger together.
However, in my opinion, some parts of the book felt slow, which is why I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. Apart from this, this is a strong story that teaches that no matter how difficult life is, if a person remains strong and committed towards their family, then they can move forward.
Overall, this book is a true story of struggle, family responsibility, courage, and hope. This book is for those who like non-fiction stories based on someone's life and emotional stories.

by Macladie25

Sandra's life was complicated. She came from a large family and a tumultuous as well. From an early age she knew when to avoid her father. He was a long haul truck driver and that kept him away much of the time. Sandra was determined to make her life better. She had goals and ideas she wanted to pursue. It would take her some time, but she completed those goals.
WOW! I was deeply affected by this book. The writing is sensational. The people in this book are some of the best and worst I've heard of. I enjoyed the fact this book is told from Sandra's point of view. Many times I wanted to reach into the book and just hug Sandra. There were times I would have helped her pack her bags. Sandra is an inspirational figure for women of all ages. Her tenacity and her love are on another level. You are going to enjoy this book so much. You're going to learn from it as well. You will definitely need tissues. My heart broke for Sandra many, many times. I was in a rage many times as well ( I cry when I get exceptionally angry). Get ready for one of the best books you're going to read this year.
I found no issues.
I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because it's a book every woman needs.
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by Prem Mathur

480 Codorus Street is an outstanding memoir penned by Sandra L. Kearse-Stockton. This autobiographical book takes the reader back to York, the city in which the author's family used to live. What strikes right from the beginning of this memoir is that Sandra does not try to build up suspense or create an interesting plot. On the contrary, she tells her readers about her childhood in York as if the latter had been sitting next to her all along this time.
There are several things that distinguish this memoir from most other stories of this kind. Firstly, Sandra does not make up any fairy tale to tell the world about her childhood years. Rather, she presents her readers with an honest depiction of this period of her life, including the episodes that are sometimes rather shocking for her. Secondly, Sandra describes the role of each person who surrounded her in her life in York in great detail. Finally, Sandra shows her readers the importance of perseverance and survival. For example, she talks about her brothers as well as about a strong woman who became her mother. However, Sandra also remembers her father, who had taught her to fear and obey his authority and power. While reading this book, one gets an impression of listening to a story of life at night, as if this story is told with a lot of interruptions and turns back, as well as frequent stops at different periods of time. Sometimes, it seems as though this work of literature was written spontaneously as the author recollected episodes from her life in York. The diary style in which Sandra depicts her life experiences makes one feel as though this story has never been told before.
One of the most interesting characteristics of this memoir is the honesty that can be traced throughout the whole book. Indeed, Sandra does not hesitate to share her thoughts and ideas in her writings. In some cases, her perspective becomes very subjective. She seems as though she does not notice that she does not talk about anything else but her childhood days. Nevertheless, such an attitude makes Sandra's story more authentic. Another factor that adds credibility to the story is the description of Sandra's life in York during the years of the 60s and 70s of the 20th century. The historical background presented in Sandra's memoir makes the story more complete, as well as influences the decisions and experiences of Sandra. This is also a professionally well-edited book.
Nevertheless, despite the abovementioned strengths of 480 Codorus Street, this book has certain flaws. First, some parts of this memoir seem to lack logic because the author describes them as they come into her mind. Second, the emotional load of the events described in the story does not give readers any respite; therefore, some events seem to be too heavy and sad. Therefore, I recommend rating this book 4 out of 5.
Thus, Sandra's memoir is quite an intriguing book, which shows what perseverance means. One of the main ideas that the author of 480 Codorus Street tries to prove is that a person can manage anything. This story will be appreciated by everyone who prefers memoirs and books that are written honestly and reflect reality.

by Arjun1018

It is not what I thought that the book would do when it reached me like a strike of lightning. There is one such story of Sandra, which begins at the start of the seventies in York, Pennsylvania, and even the initial chapter of the book grabs you and simply fails to set you free. It is a young widow with 5 kids, for whom she is the sole breadwinner, and she is toiling day in and day out to get out of the projects to get a new world and a better life. Aaron arrives in her, and he is a self-proclaimed, smooth-talking, uniformed man, and you are asking yourself at long last, at long last, everything is now getting better with her. This is because life does not become this good as Sandra soon finds out.
However, also frankly speaking, I had found most entertaining the fact that Sandra did not do much to put herself in the best light, as in this book, as well. It is a weird situation to commend, yet it brought the deviation. She does not keep her temper to herself. She does not overstep the affair that she experienced when she was having an affair with Aaron. She simply puts it all there, and due to this, you believe her wholesomely. You are also getting the impression that she is addressing you and not acting before you. It is simply augmented with the little details she is providing between her children crushing each other again with The Three Stooges and the whole family crowded in the pantry making major decisions and panhandling panic of back-to-school shopping, and the money was just not here, but it had to be. These were the happenings that memorialized the 1970s to an extent that the volumes of history will not provide the vindication.
It even attempts to avoid being funny and impressive, and that is what makes it such an effective writing. It brings about the way people are talking. I went through the chapters much quicker than I predicted since nothing was ever viewed as a burden to read through. And even what was more substantial in it, the reasons on the topic of religion, the Jamaica honeymoon moving as far afield in the wrong direction as possible. It is the manner Sandra speaks of her stories that makes you laugh the next moment and sometimes swell in the throat; you are almost at one extreme and the other at the same time.
Cons: I cannot miss here and there a mistake and "bowel" instead of "bowl" and "queer" hyphens, which make an opening between the words of the sentence. It is not a spoil to the experience, but an eleventh-hour revise-it-over would have made the entire matter pretty. I included it there since it is something worth refining the rest of the book. In case you are in demand of something that seems to be completely human, untidy, clumsy, painful, and yet genuine at the same time, it is exactly this kind of book you should keep in your library. It was one of impression which led me to think that water had read the last in the stories of the life of Sandra, and I pray that an identical story read by you will always impress you forever.
I am giving the book 5/5 stars. 1 star since I never had the same time in my life when I failed to understand the fact that the story person is real. 1 star because of the fact that the writing is fine, heartfelt, and easy to read. 1 star because of the pthe impressions thateculiarities, which are so factual and needed to bring in the 1970s. 1 star to the person of Sandra, who has literally found herself on the list of the most fascinating people I have had to deal with in the recent years. And the last star in the type of emotional sincerity is quite difficult to imitate and quite difficult to go without.

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