Myself and I

Jordon Family #6

by Janet Lambert

A young adult book. From the 1950s. Dust jacket photo with this does not represent the 1957 edition.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult

188 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Janet Lambert, born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, was a popular girls' story author from 1941 through 1969 (and beyond to today). She wrote 54 books during that time about a number of different girls and their families. Her most popular series were about the Parrishes and the Jordons. These stories, and many of her other series, became entwined as the various characters met each other, married, and then had children of their own!

Janet, having an interest in both the theater and writing, decided to write her own plays in which to act. She did achieve her goal and appeared on Broadway. When she married a career Army officer, her life on stage came to a close, but her stories were still flowing. Knowing well the "life of the Army," many of Ms. Lambert's books are set on Army posts throughout the United States.

Legend has it that her stories started as bedtime stories for her children while they were overseas. Each night, the author would tell the next "installment" of the series. Later, after her kids were grown, she penned one of her stories (Star Spangled Summer) and—according to legend—it was sold to a publisher the very day after she sent it to them.

Reviews

[Karen Plummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eighteen year old Susan Jordon is trying to become her own person and do what she wants to do instead of continually doing what others want her to do. She dreams of working in a bookshop, eventually becoming the owner of her own bookshop. She hopes to date a number of young men and just have fun with no pressure or expectations. Unfortunately, Susan just keeps getting hooked into taking care of others and ignoring her own dreams. It's not that she doesn't love her extended family, she just wants a bit of a change.

In this installment of the series, Susan ends up driving to Fort Knox with her sister in law Tippy and her new niece. She stays for a while to help Tippy and her brother Peter get settled in, and of course Bobby Parrish is there as well. Bobby is fixated on the idea that Susan will soon agree to marry him and then pulls a stunt so incredibly stupid and childish that Susan is ready to be done with him. Once home again and within days of beginning her new job, not only does Bobby show up, but her father asks her to go on an extended business trip with him. Poor Susan. Will she give up her dreams?

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! As I love all of Lambert's books. This one involves most of the Parish and Jordan clan, but is mostly Susan Jordan's story. Tippy and Peter are home from Panama, but because they had been delayed a month in Puerto Rico Peter must go directly to his next post at Fort Knox. Susan, who seems to be the go-to person when anyone needs something, is asked to drive Tippy and the baby to Fort Knox. She does so with trepidation because Bobby Parish, her tormentor, is stationed at Knox. Today he would be called a stalker. What he thinks up causes Susan anguish and one would think by the end of the book that we had seen the end of Bobby, who is 8 years older than her and professes to love her. Poor Susan!

[Meg W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Susan Jordon is eighteen and ready to start her career. She is determined not to be "a bending willow" and for once do what she wants to do instead of giving up her desires for everyone else around her. Tippy and Peter Jordon are back from Panama and need someone to help Tippy, who else is picked but Susan. While helping Tippy down at Fort Knox she can't help but have Bobby Parrish, who is stationed there, take up her time and energy. This is probably one of my least favorite books of this series but a must read.