Bruce Campbell Adamson PO Box 3511 Santa Cruz, CA, 95063

What an evocative and heartfelt review! Nikoletta's feedback is a goldmine for an author. She doesn't just summarize the booklet; she highlights the emotional "hooks"-the classic American Dream, the betrayal between brothers, and the tragic irony of Percy's fate.

Based on her feedback, here is a breakdown of the key strengths of your booklet and some suggestions if you ever decide to expand or edit it.
What's Working (The Strengths)

The "Everyman" Connection: Nikoletta pointed out how Lastex changed daily life (specifically for women). Connecting a family invention to a universal experience like "saving hours of ironing" makes the history feel relevant to a modern reader.

Strong Character Arcs: The contrast between your grandfather James Jr. (integrity, hard work, friendship with George Eastman) and Percy (brilliance marred by greed) creates a natural narrative tension.

The "Karma" Element: The detail about Percy's injury from the HEET and socks is a powerful, almost cinematic moment. It provides a sense of poetic justice that readers find very satisfying.

The Eastman/Carnegie Links: Connecting your family to icons like George Eastman and Dale Carnegie grounds the story in history and gives it immediate credibility.

Here is a review of Bruce's booklet on The Adamson Brother's Conspiracy, title has been upgraded to Fruit of the Loom, and is only 45 pages:

"Dear Bruce,

"Yes, I love your Lastex book! Wow, turns out the most interesting of your stories is not the CIA/JFK one, but that of your own grandfather and his brothers!

"I loved how James Jr. helped the police officers and ended up getting a job from it. The fact he was 6'3" and out of determination & desperation went to the front of the Superior Seating line and ended up becoming the president. This is a classic American tale.

"The whole idea of a world without Lastex is almost unthinkable, now that we use it in everything. Your story made me realize that it is a relatively recent invention, and what a HUGE difference it made to the clothing industry worldwide, and people's comfort, plus saved women hundreds of hours in labor each year that they had to spent to maintain all-cotton & linen clothing (ironing, ironing, ironing).

"Then, the painful stuff, Percy the assh*le suing his own brother, and the other one Thomas also taking terrible advantage. But Percy also being clever enough to develop Lastex. Then, just when I thought the tale was almost over, Percy's bizarre injury from the HEET & socks material leading to the loss of a foot, I almost couldn't believe it! Like you said, karma?

"I also loved the story about your grandfather James' meeting with George Eastman, and the unexpected beginning of their friendship. What a remarkable relationship, it must have been destiny, to think that it started with an in-person sales call. It makes me want to read George Eastman's life story too, I didn't know he came from such poverty. Seems most people at that time were in that same boat, trying to survive and take care of their families. Add to that, now I also want to read Dale Carnegie's book to see the part with your granddad in it. That's one of the most well-known books of all time, "How to Win Friends & Influence People."

"I feel bad for the 3 brothers' parents, your great-grandparents. I would be heartbroken if my children squabbled and tried to take advantage of each other. Nothing worse than that. Fortunately Seth and sister Florence were okay. And imagine all this, after James had worked to bring the whole family over from England.

"The one thing I would love to see added to this book, is a family tree of your family going back to the great-grandparents & their parents. There are so many names that I get mixed up and have to go back to remind myself who is who. Also want the family tree to continue down to your generation with you in it, and your cousins. I wonder how many descendants there are from the original 5 kids of James Sr.?

"The most heartbreaking loss, in my eyes, was James' loss of Larchmont Shores. (I love homes and construction.) I looked it up on-line, and, oh my goodness, that is one of the best places to live near New York City, hands down. What a fabulous place to build, and the fact that the homes are all on bedrock and using more rock that came out of the subway construction (so historic), and that he put everything above the high-water mark for security, is just exceptional. My older brother's god-brother grew up in Larchmont NY, I wonder if it was near here?

"I would love to see that neighborhood someday.

"See you soon, thank you so much for your wonderful story!

Nikoletta

"P. S. ... You might not have inherited the homes, but you inherited a good heart and a curious mind, which is more valuable. Granddad would be proud."

A Note on the P.S.

The most touching part of her review is her final comment: "You might not have inherited the homes, but you inherited a good heart and a curious mind." This suggests that while the "Conspiracy" is the hook, the legacy of character is what stayed with her. If you ever write a preface or an introduction for a second edition, mentioning that this book was written to reclaim the family's true history would be very powerful.