ARPress is honored to announce that the flipbook format of The Spare (Part 2) by Marsha May Fairchild Sumpter is now available for purchase. The book is also offered in other formats on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the ARPress website.
There’s something undeniably magical about holding a paperback or hardback book in your hands, the smell of the pages, the feel of the paper, the satisfying thump as you close it at the end of a great story. It’s a sensory experience that e-readers and screens have struggled to replicate.
But here’s the thing: the world of reading is evolving, and it’s not just about going digital or flipping through pixels on a screen. Enter the flipbook, a fresh, interactive way to experience stories that goes beyond the printed page while still capturing the tactile joy we love.
You might remember flipbooks from childhood, those little booklets where flipping the pages quickly created a tiny animation. Today’s flipbooks have massively leveled up. They’re digital, accessible on any device, and combine the charm of flipping pages with multimedia elements like videos, sound, and clickable links. Imagine reading your favorite novel and encountering subtle animations or embedded audio that brings scenes to life.
“The Spare: Part II” continues Marsha May Fairchild Sumpter’s powerful memoir of resilience, family, and survival on the South Dakota plains. While Part I explored her family’s early years of hardship and determination, this second volume carries readers into the next chapters of her journey, weaving together stories of marriage, motherhood, financial struggles, and the unrelenting demands of farm life. The book is more than a personal history—it’s a portrait of a generation who faced poverty, drought, and economic uncertainty, yet managed to raise families, find joy in small victories, and build lives of meaning.
In Part II, Sumpter recalls the trials and triumphs that came after her youth, particularly her young marriage to Bill, their early financial struggles, and the challenge of raising children with very little to spare. Anecdotes—such as trading cigarettes for a family portrait scraping together rent for a musty little cabin, and preparing for a baby without insurance—highlight the daily battles they fought with poverty. Yet amid the hardships, there were also moments of laughter, dances, reunions, and friendships that gave light to their difficult days.
As the story unfolds, readers see how perseverance and faith guided Sumpter and her family through loss, labor, and uncertainty. Her reflections include not only her own household but also the broader family legacy—stories of her parents, siblings, and ancestors, including Grace Fairchild’s memories that later sparked controversy within the family. The memoir closes with a reflection on aging, the struggles of keeping the family farm afloat, and the enduring power of storytelling to preserve heritage.
Sumpter does not romanticize farm life; she tells it plainly, with grit and tenderness. Readers are invited into her kitchen, her fields, her struggles with money and health, and her moments of triumph—big and small. It resonates with anyone who has ever faced hard times, raised a family on limited means, or wondered whether their story is worth telling. By sharing her own, Sumpter reminds us that history is not only made by leaders and wars but also by families who endured, sacrificed, and loved in everyday life.
If you love books, don’t worry, paperbacks and hardbacks aren’t going anywhere. They still hold a special place on our shelves and in our hearts. But flipbooks open doors to new possibilities that blend tradition with innovation.
Whether you’re a lifelong reader curious about new formats or a creator eager to explore interactive storytelling, flipbooks invite you to go beyond the printed page and rediscover the joy of stories in a whole new way.
The Spare (Part 2) by Marsha May Fairchild Sumpter is now available for purchase via the ARPress Bookstore.