Title: The Way It Was With Gracie: A Love That Stood the Test of Time
Author: Alvin Fuhrman
Publisher: Alvin Fuhrman
ISBN: 978-1-965390-30-6
Pages: 106
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Reviewer: Gabriella Harrison
Pacific Book Review
The Way It Was With Gracie: A Love That Stood the Test of Time is a tender memoir in which Alvin Fuhrman reflects on the seventy-five years he shared with his wife, Gracie. From the very first pages, their connection comes through. “Our relationship stayed strong because of our love and humor while each kiss we shared reinforced our bond,” he writes, not as a flourish, but as something lived and remembered.
There’s something quietly moving in how Fuhrman brings their everyday life to the page. The most memorable parts aren’t big, dramatic turns, but the ordinary, familiar moments that meant something: the sound of Gracie laughing in the barn, her sewing a torn uniform with care, or the way a kiss could say what didn’t need to be explained. These are the kinds of details that stay with you long after the chapter ends.
Fuhrman’s writing doesn’t try to impress. It’s simple and direct, the kind of voice you’d expect from someone speaking honestly about a life he’s still trying to hold onto. You can feel that he isn’t just telling their story – he’s preserving it, moment by moment. As I read, I found myself pulled into their world. By the time the final goodbye arrived, it wasn’t just a parting on the page. It felt like something I had to sit with for a while.
This love holds up the entire book, while shedding light on Fuhrman’s relationship with other family members, including his two sons: the shy and thoughtful Gene, who burst into tears and declared “I do not know how to learn” at the start of kindergarten, and the curious Kent, who is still finding his way after various ups and downs. While the book often meanders, the structure feels loose sometimes, and some details can feel overwhelming – names and locations occasionally blur together. This also makes it feel personal. It’s clear Fuhrman isn’t writing for acclaim; he’s writing to remember. And it reads like a personal archive.
People who enjoy personal histories, especially those rooted in small-town life or long marriages, might find comfort in the way this story moves. It doesn’t rush. The pace is steady, and the focus stays on the everyday. Fuhrman reflects on military service, raising a family, and getting through life’s changes without trying to dramatize any of it. The way he tells it feels more like a conversation than a performance – like something you’d hear from someone recounting what really mattered over the years.
The Way It Was With Gracie by Alvin Fuhrman is one man’s effort to hold on to a love that shaped nearly his entire life. I recommend this book to readers who believe that love shows itself in routines, shared glances, and years spent side by side – readers who enjoy a sweet love story. It’s quiet. It’s steady. And by the end, it leaves you with a sense that love, when it lasts, doesn’t always need big words – it just needs to be remembered. A must-read for those who believe in love that lasts.
