The Ditchdigger's Daughters

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Overview

Donald Thornton was a ditchdigger who wanted more for his six daughters, saying:

"I love you better than I love life," he assured his children. "But I'm not always gonna be around to look after you, and no man's gonna come along and offer to take care of you because you ain't light-skinned. That's why you gotta be able to look after yourselves. And for that you gotta be smart."

Donald decided to do the grandest thing he could think of: force them to make a success of their lives. Along with their mother, Tass, he cajoled and inspired the girls to succeed while working two full-time ...
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More About This Book

Overview

Donald Thornton was a ditchdigger who wanted more for his six daughters, saying:

"I love you better than I love life," he assured his children. "But I'm not always gonna be around to look after you, and no man's gonna come along and offer to take care of you because you ain't light-skinned. That's why you gotta be able to look after yourselves. And for that you gotta be smart."

Donald decided to do the grandest thing he could think of: force them to make a success of their lives. Along with their mother, Tass, he cajoled and inspired the girls to succeed while working two full-time jobs to keep them properly fed and clothed. All six became successful, independent, accomplished women: two of his six daughters became doctors, one became a dentist, one a lawyer, one a nurse, and one a court stenographer.

The Ditchdigger's Daughters is the inspirational story of a family with a strong role model who set family values about all else. Donald's persuasive common sense, folk wisdom and right-on insights gave them the skills they would need to overcome obstacles in their paths to success.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
The remarkable power of family values as articulated by an uneducated black man and his wife is played out in this loving memoir. Thornton is one of five daughters born to a laborer in a New Jersey shore town who was almost obsessed with the importance of education for his children and the nurturance of their talents. He strictly monitored their musical training, scrimping and wheedling where necessary to pay for their lessons. Eventually the Thornton Sisters Band was formed-a family enterprise whose financial success became the source of the daughters' college tuition. Although only two of the girls fulfilled their father's dream that they become doctors, all of them have successful careers. This picture by Thornton and Coudert (Advice from a Failure) of a black man's single-minded devotion to his family is a tribute to an extraordinary father who transcended racial prejudice to raise appreciative daughters to be independent women. Photos not seen by PW. (May)
Library Journal
This memoir describes how, with seemingly unfailing energy and determination, Donald Thornton, working two jobs, saw each of his six daughters obtain an education and become established in a successful career. Using their musical talent, the Thornton girls gave performances for a number of years to help finance their schooling. Donald and his wife, Asker, gave their children the strength to achieve their goals in the face of hardships, not the least of which were racial and gender discrimination. Reader Fran Washington injects a great deal of feeling into the authors' words, bringing out a whole range of emotions, from joy to anguish. This is a warm-hearted, affectionate memoir that emphasizes the importance of family ties. Highly recommended.-Catherine Swenson, Norwich Univ. Lib., Northfield, Vt.
More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews
Lillian Lewis
The Thornton family's story is inspirational and quite emotional as told by daughter Yvonne. Donald Thornton, the ditchdigger, and Asker, his wife, defied the odds by instilling in their six daughters (one adopted) the importance of hard work and the family's values. Donald's wisdom and insight were the foundation for the girls' ultimate success as professionals: two doctors, a dentist, a lawyer, a nurse, and a court stenographer. The Thornton girls applied their discipline and dedication to their talent in music. As a result, the girls began performing as the Thornton Sisters, which provided the means for the girls to attend college and, ultimately, become the independent women that Donald sought to cultivate. The story is about more than family relationships or father and daughter relationships but about how determination and strength encouraged a family to excel beyond its condition and fulfill the dreams of the parents. Yvonne's dedication--" For mommy and daddy, we wouldn't have been anything or done anything without you" --says it all, besides being a fitting tribute to the parents and the success of these accomplished women.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781559722711
  • Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
  • Publication date: 4/28/1995
  • Pages: 1
  • Product dimensions: 6.29 (w) x 9.30 (h) x 1.08 (d)

Meet the Author

Yvonne Thornton
Yvonne Thornton
Donald's daughter, Dr. Yvonne S. Thornton, is the Director of The Perinatal Diagnostic Testing Center at Morristown (NJ) Memorial Hospital, and a professor at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. Dr. Thornton lives in Teaneck, New Jersey. Jo Coudert is a playwright and the author of four other books, including Advice from a Failure and Go Well, The Story of a House. She lives in Califon, New Jersey.

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