which sets it comfortably between
informative textbook and bite-sized coffee
table entertainment. O’Dell, who teaches
history at a collegiate level and works as
an instructional designer, aimed to make
processing historical information a little
easier, especially for visual learners.
Berman Apartments, where Col. Farley
Berman’s parents resided, which features
her grandparents seated on the upstairs
balcony. It’s a quiet reference to her family’s
personal history, but O’Dell seems to get
a kick out of her family tree’s intertwining
with local history.
“Those who fail to learn from history
are doomed to repeat it, but if you have
nothing to remind you of it, how are you
going to learn?” she asked.
“When I do these books, I try to be sure
to be balanced,” said O’Dell, before a
grin spread across her face. “But I went
to Donoho; I know where the bodies are
buried.”
O’Dell has a unique view of area history,
with her family tree rooted in Calhoun
County as far back as the 1820s, when
Calhoun was still Benton County. A few
historically relevant family photos made
their way into the mix, like a photo of the
INSIGHT
Want to pick up a copy of “Anniston
Revisited”? Visit the book’s Amazon page
for print and ebook versions. Head to
Kimberly’s Facebook page to learn more
about her work and see exclusive photos. ✻
September 2016 27