“Do you remember when our grandmother died in 1964, our parents were clearing out her house and found a small box labeled ‘pieces of string to short to save?’” “Yes,” Dudley replied, “and I have never saved a piece of string since then without thinking of that box.”

That conversation two years ago in 2021, between cousins Bibby and Dudley led to more family stories and eventually to this book. In conversations and visits to Maine and Kentucky, they unearthed a wealth of shared stories. Bibby, who wrote the book’s poems, describes the transformation: “Each pull on a string, be it photo, memory, dream, or object, led us to what I consider the greatest gift of all, our friendship and connection as cousins. Where nine years difference in age definitely had a bearing on how we grew up, even more important is how little those nine years matter in our flourishing friendship.” In Dudley’s afterword for the book, she tells how she developed the images, and adds this: “Not just a modest collection of words and images, the book is a vehicle for channeling the determination of a woman whose honesty, personal courage, and moral conviction set an example for her sons (our fathers), for us her grandchildren, and for the family and friends who will read this book.”

Pieces of String Too Short To Save is a hand-made book. Inside covers and text pages are assembled in a sewn-cover binding, with a breakaway spine and finish covers added to the body of the book. Text is Goudy Old Style and Optima. Images are translated from original watercolors and pen and ink line drawings. Paper is Mohawk Via Vellum. End papers are French Paper Construction Vellum. Breakaway spine is Dover Bookcloth. Outer covers are printed letterpress on Kozo Unryu Heavyweight paper. Printed as an edition of 20 copies in Lincolnville, Maine on an Epson Workforce 7710 inkjet printer.

Co-authors: Bibby Milward Terry (poems) and Dudley Milward Zopp (images), 2023