This was a really well researched book which was definitely fascinating to read. Although at times it read as being a bit dry I still feel it's worth a read for anyone interested in history.

Aanna Guerin's life from childhood to her life as a celebrated lecturer was presented as a list of biographical facts extracted from articles, reviews and public records. It was fascinating to learn about her lecture circuit across the USA to support France and how after the war she raised funds for recovery. It was also interesting to learn that Poppies were already a popular symbol in the USA for the Allies and how it became such an important image after the war ended and how this evolved into finally getting to her big idea—in the middle of the book—of having Americans solicit donations and wear poppies on Decoration Day. Her ultimate goal being that all Allied countries could use the Poppies made by widows, orphans, and veterans as signifier to remember those lost whilst simultaneously raising funds for those left behind. While this was a fascinating read I wanted a bit more in terms of emotional depth and insight into her personal motivations and the more personal impacts of the money raised by such campaigning over the years.

This story is of the Poppy Lady who generated the concept of adopting the Flanders Poppy to commemorate the fallen of the Great war and in the process gather funds to assist the orphaned children and families left behind on the battlefields. To follow Anna Guérin through her amazing life and extensive travels at a time when most international journeys were by sea is extraordinary and demonstrated her exceptional determination and fortitude to sustain her campaign to all the major Allied countries involved in WWl. The book dispels some modern day myths as to why the Poppy is the flower of commemoration and remembrance and as you continue to read you can tell that Anna does not take no for an answer and she is astute enough to gain patronage from powerful men, Presidents for example, and influential women who form the force of getting the Flower sellers on the streets to raise the funds, even in hard times.
A very enjoyable book and a must read for anyone connected with the Legion wherever they may be.

Thoroughly researched if dry at times. I’ve always been struck by John McCrae’s poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ and we always wore poppies in November so I was eager to read this one.

Anna Guerin’s early years and life as a celebrated lecturer was a recitation of facts drawn from newspaper articles, reviews, and public records. During the war, her lecture circuit was a campaign for funds in America to support France. After the war she raised funds for recovery. Poppies were already a popular symbol in the States for the Allies, and tag days with a poppy began almost immediately after the war ended.

Anna further encouraged Gold Star mothers to adopt the poppy as their symbol for their own tag sale Poppy Day fundraising. This evolved into finally getting to her big idea—in the middle of the book—of having Americans solicit donations and wear poppies on Decoration Day. Her ultimate goal was for all Allied countries to use poppies made by widows and orphans or veterans as an emblem for remembering those lost and at the same time creating a method of raising funds. I wished there was more insight into Anna’s personal drive and the impact the money raised by this campaign had.

The statements and newspaper quotes and data weren’t put into an interesting narrative. We didn’t need every adjective ever used in print to describe her lectures or how much money she earned at each stop. By the time we got to outlining each stop in each Allied country to promote the cause, I lost interest. And only at the very end was there mention of another woman who had mistakenly been given full credit for the poppy campaign.