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"...Tennessee Tears...an inspiration... Please accept my warmest best wishes and hopes for your continued success."
- TIPPER GORE
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
"Your story is both an inspiration and monument to true courage"
- AMANDA MOORE, LIFETIME CABLE
"Your story made me realize the great power of the human spirit"
- BOB MATHIAS OLYMPIC CHAMPION
"The children of this twenty-one year tragedy were sold for no other reason but greed"
- LYNN ROMINGER, BARNES & NOBLE
"I enjoyed your book and hope you are having much success"
- GARY CONDIT MEMBER OF CONGRESS
"Tennessee Tears is the best book I ever read"
- DR. JERRY FORD, V.P. CALIFORNIA STATE JAYCEES
"It is a heartfelt document"
- STARRETT KRIESMAN, STANISLAUS COUNTY LIBRARIAN
My thanks for reviewing your book at the home of Aileen Gallo"
- ALICE PIMENTEL, LITERATURE CHAIR, MODESTO WOMAN'S PROGRESSIVE CLUB.
"A Black market baby selling ring, falsified records and a trail of lies, sounds like a made for television movie"
- LES SMITH, ANCHOR, CHANNEL 10 NEWS, WAVY, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
"Your story and how you overcame such obstacles in your life serve as an example that adversity can be overcome with perseverance and faith"
- JOHN C. BROPHY CALAVERAS COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
"Tennessee Tears," what a story. From all the members of the Tuolumne County Genealogical Society, we thank you for speaking to us this evening.
- TUOLUMNE COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
..."On behalf of the members of Soroptimist International of Greater Davis, I wish to thank you for your excellent presentation... Best wishes."
- ELAINE RUSSELL S.I. OF GREATER DAVIS PROGRAM CHAIR
We wish you well with the sale of your book, and we do appreciate your taking the time to come to speak to our Society.
BARBARA J. JOHNSON CORRESPONDING SECRETARY,
SAN RAMON VALLEY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
First I want to express my appreciation, and that of the Calaveras County Genealogical Society, for speaking before members of our society and of the general public last night, October 13, 1998, on your extraordinary book "Tennessee Tears". The true life experiences of Brian Bubnes (Beginning with the circumstances of his separation from his mother and subsequent placement for adoption by a Tennessee orphanage through the culmination of the horrendous, exasperating and joyous experiences that followed throughout his young and adult life.) were and are of such significance that no one through out this great country of ours nor the world should take light of them nor put them on a shelf to be ignored and forgotten.
Its more than a coincidence that you shared Brian's story with us last night just one month shy to the day thirty eight years following the initial exposure of the Tennessee Children's Home Society Scandal on September 13, 1950. It brought out remembrances to several of those present of their own childhood experiences of adoption, abuse, searching and coping. People of such a great, and supposedly educated, country as ours just cannot or don't want to except the fact that babies and children could have been and are being so severally mistreated! Your presentation was an eye opener to many. From comments I received or overheard, your speech was many things, but it certainly provoked thought and a multitude of feelings and prayers among each of those present. Hopefully each of those present last night will in some way help correct such ignorance by our society and especially of the leaders of our county, state and nation.
When Sandy and I first met you for breakfast at the Nugget in Murphys, California on Saturday, October 3, 1998 I told you that Sandy was the reader in our family and I read very little, and had to be prodded even then. I guess the combination of your sharing some of Brian's life with us that morning, and the fact that it is a true story, triggered both my curiosity and interest sufficient for me to begin reading it. Because, that evening, with no prodding, I began reading your book "Tennessee Tears" and the true story of Brian Bubnes. I couldn't put it down and read most of it that evening and on into Sunday morning. I finished all but the last forty five or fifty pages Sunday afternoon. Sandy snatched it from me and read it during the following week. I just scanned the last few pages before attending your speech last night and have since read them through. That in itself says a lot for your book. It more than held my interest to say the least!
The principal purpose of the Calaveras Genealogical Society is to provide a source for research and assist people in the search of their family histories, both past and present. Your book, in addition to opening our eyes and minds to the few issues I described above, also provides some topics and sources for all genealogists to consider in their research. I am sure there are more, but some that stood out or were implied are:
In the Introduction pages - Children's homes, boys & girls societies, orphanages, foster home placements and so on.
In the Introduction pages - Media segments and newspaper articles regarding victims, scandals and so on.
In the Introduction pages - Adoption Reform - Documents presented at state and federal hearings and legal cases.
Page 30 - Moving and family relocations - School enrollments, Boy and Girl Scout and like children and young adult organizations, requests for public services such as water, sewer and so on.
Pages 34, 39 and various - Runaways - Police reports, juvenile records, truancy and school records.
Pages 60 & 187 - A Friend in Deed - Friends, neighbors and acquaintances.
Page 64 - Denny Glad - Special interest societies, organizations and lost and found children agencies.
Pages 66 & 67 - Birth Certificates and name changes, Baptismal certificates, Confirmations and other church records.
Page 67 - Places of birth, marriage, death and so on.
Pages 68 & 69 - Juvenile records.
Page 70 - Eviction Notices.
Page 71 - Employment records, business licenses and so on.
Page 83 - Referrals and references for sources of adoption and placement from those who have gone through the processes.
Page 127 - Photos and photo albums, memory books, post cards, letters and other memorabilia.
Page 155 - Police records, reports and files.
Page 155 - Vital statistic records of local, state and federal agencies.
Page 157 - Like genetic traits and characteristics - appearance, habits, desires, careers, military service and so on.
Page 183 - Right to Know - Family and children aide society records, welfare records and records of other such societal, assistance or relief agencies.
Sources to genealogical and historical information are numerous, but to see so many brought out in your book about Brian's life was truly amazing to me. BUT, the first and foremost subject of your book is about the concern and well being of and for the babies and children of this world, and for their protection from birth to adult hood by all of us!
Thank you again for speaking to our Society and especially for opening our eyes and minds to the real world and life of the far to many known and unknown abused and mistreated children out there, and to the many fallacies of our system that continue to allow such things to occur.
- HARLEIGH WINKLER PRESIDENT OF THE CALAVERAS GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
"I couldn't put it down."
"I've read it twice!"
"It made me sad and happy."
"Truly a courageous story."