Shirley's Story: A Life of Finesse, is an unexpected collaboration between mother and daughter. Shirley's journals and memoir pieces were left in plain sight at the end of her life, piled neatly on the floor of her walk-in closet, filling a clear plastic storage container. Ellen discovered her mother's writing which was left for her to trip over. Shirley wanted her story to be shared. Ellen, as the narrator, helps her mother to tell her story. Shirley Whitehouse Akerman was born on August 24,1920, a turning point in American history. Women were finally able to vote, yet the cultural expectations for women remained the same. They were expected to marry and dedicate their lives to families and husbands. She bravely and competently steps into the WAVES, a first for America, allowing women to be part of the military. As a woman, her role in World War II could not be fully shared or appreciated and she carried that secret her whole life. Yet, the commanding officers, men, were given medals for the work of the code breakers who helped win the war. Shirley's lifelong interest in playing bridge, solving the weekly New York Times crossword puzzle, embracing the new world of computers, were clues to her secret mission in the United States Navy. Shirley's Story is also a wartime romance. Through her memoir pieces and journals, we are privy to an intimate look at a woman seeking meaning, wanting to be a better person, and perhaps searching for the secret to "the art of living". Her journal entries expose her struggle to be a housewife and a helpmate for her husband's real estate business, longing to express herself through writing and art. She shares wisdom, both the sorrows and joys, striving to live her best life and at the same time caring deeply about her family and friends. As an older woman, it becomes a coming of age story. She now has the time to reflect, explore more interests and be adventurous. A patriot, Shirley had strong political views and she was a keen observer of the American struggle for a working democracy. Her voice and perspective are the human side of history, a woman who helped set a determined path with more choices for those that followed her generation.
