This is what others are saying about the book:
Elizabeth Irwin of the Northwest Ohio Writers Forum had this to say about Leslie's November presentation: "I recommend Leslie for future presentations. Based on her presentation to the NWOWF, I have to say Leslie really knows her stuff - not just writing, but publishing and the business of publishing. She has an engaging, confident presentation style. I believe that for a lot of authors-to-be, Leslie offers sound advice that helps take the fear factor out of self-publishing."
The Midwest Book Review October 9, 2009 – “A work that combines academic quality research with a narrative gift for storytelling, Kelleys Island: The courageous, poignant & often quirky lives of island pioneers 1810-1861 by Leslie Korenko is a true tour-de-force history of Kelleys Island, Lake Erie, Ohio. Drawing upon pioneer letters, diary entries, and official documents covering the period of 1810-1861, the story of the island begins with its purchase by the Kelley Brothers. It became home to not only pioneers seeking to establish their families, but a haven for rogues, scoundrels, squatters, and a known pirate. Many island citizens fought on the Union side in the civil war by enlisting with the 101st Ohio and the 3rd Ohio Cavalry. A fascinating read that is as informed and informative as it is engaging and entertaining, Kelleys Island is a highly recommended and impressive regional history that could well serve as a template for similar local histories for other parts of the country.”
Readers Views: Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (11/09)
Leslie Korenko, a Kelleys Island resident and historian, has give readers a fascinating view of the life on Kelleys Island from 1810-1861. If you are a reader like me who is interested in how towns, law and order and people settle themselves into a comfortable life, this is a book for you. It is filled with a great number of facts and stories taken from journals, diaries, letters and court documents. You will be amazed at how much time and research the author has done to make this enjoyable reading.
The author has provided pictures and sources consulted throughout the book. So, if you are inclined to look up more information on a particular topic, she has made it easier for you.
I found the era of 1861 to be quite interesting as the information covered includes such things as: cooking stoves and matches, getting married, the Johnson Island Prisons and soldier's letters home. When reading "KelleysIsland" by Leslie Korenko you often feel as if the individual is personally telling you the story. It is not a book that one can breeze through. You need to read a little, dream a little and put yourself back at Kelleys Island.
Ex Libris in the News Herald – August 18, 2009 – “This is a well-researched and wonderfully entertaining account of the beginnings of Kelleys Island. Sprinkled with interesting photos and infused with nuggets of fascinating facts, the sagas of shipwrecks, heroism, lawsuits and the ‘latest’ fashions of the pioneers make it an exciting read.”
The Neighborhood News, September 16, 2009 – “Korenko, a first-time author, has written a new and entertaining history of Kelleys Island…”
Online Port Clinton News Herald June 8, 2009 – “This book is an invaluable resource for anyone doing genealogy, exploring early life in Ohio or having an interest in the role that Erie and Ottawa County soldiers had in the Civil War.”
Susan Cooper, Lake Erie Island Historical Society, July 2009 – “Your book is fabulous…I was just putting together some info on our pirate Benjamin Napier – here comes your book with all the research done!”
Lake Erie Islands Historical Society Museum News, September 2009 – “Kelleys Island history parallels or pre-dates the Bass Islands own history and this is a must read for anyone interested in all the islands.”
Chad Waffen, author of Ohio’s Lake Erie Islands, September 10, 2009 – “I found your book at Brown’s last week and am enjoying the read. We have many of the same primary sources, and it is fantastic to see everything put into one place…Wanted to pass on the compliment and congrats on the book…”
Leisure Living, July 2009 – “Leslie Korenko of Kelleys Island has authored a delightfully entertaining new book…”
Mark Gridley, author of Jazz Styles-History & Analysis, July 2009 – “I am finally getting into your book and it is fantastic! The amount of digging you did is incredible. Your energy is really something to behold. The rich detail in the narratives that you transcribed is fascinating. Congratulations on a monumental achievement.” (www.JazzStyles.com)
Regarding an excerpt that appeared in the Ohio Civil War Journal, January 2009, Harold Henderson wrote (Midwestern microhistory: A Genealogy Blog) – “The kind of day-by-day journal fragment that you wish your ancestor had kept, complete with jokes and little episodes of daily life in camp – a resource for what life was really like, whether your people ever saw the inside of Camp Toledo or not.”