Books The prize winner

"The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio" is a biographical account by Terry Ryan about her mother, Evelyn Ryan. The book details Evelyn's struggles with poverty in the 1950s and 1960s while raising ten children. To make ends meet, Evelyn ingeniously used her wit, poetry, and prose to win numerous contests for jingles and advertising slogans, securing household appliances, cars, and even trips. The narrative highlights Evelyn's resilience, humor, and ability to turn financial hardships into opportunities, challenging societal expectations for women of her era and inspiring a major motion picture.