Born in Manchester, England, in 1900, growing up wasn't easy for Janet Taylor Caldwell. Her Scottish parents warned her that if she ever misbehaved at school, she'd be "thoroughly thrashed." Weekends at home were filled with church and chores.
When her family immigrated to America in 1907, life only got tougher. Her father died soon after their arrival in upstate New York, and the family struggled financially. But her mother, Anna, was a firm believer in Women's Liberation and insisted that Janet could do a man's job. With a first-class education, fierce self-reliance, and strong work ethic, Janet embarked on her writing career at the age of eight. Eventually, she was discovered by legendary editor Maxwell Perkins and began publishing under the name Taylor Caldwell. Her books sold millions of copies around the world and touched the lives of countless readers.
"A blunt and penetrating comparison of her own childhood and that of the rebellious younger generation ... You may applaud, you may curse, but you won't escape one nagging question: What if she's right?"
San Diego Union Tribune
"On Growing Up Tough should be read by every American, young or old, in the same spirit in which it is written: Humorous, critical, objective but with a deep understanding of human nature."
Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette
"'Must' reading for the weakly loafers and cry-babies who moan about America and how tough it is to make the grade."
