After hundreds of hours spent interviewing one of America’s first heart surgeons, Leeanne (Gillespie, VHS ’77) Seaver wrote his life story. The result is the memoir of William A. Reed titled, The Pulse of Hope. Reviewed by Pulitzer-nominated author James Still as “a thoughtful and beautiful book,” the hardbound volume also features Seaver’s photography on the cover and throughout. All last winter, Seaver was writing and editing the book at the Vicksburg Library, the Schoolcraft Library, and even on the treadmill at Bulldog Tanning & Fitness, the local Vicksburg gym. Owner Tracie Kline now proudly displays the book poster on the bulletin board and keeps a supply of books behind the counter at her hair salon and fitness center in Vicksburg.
The book was published on November 1, 2014, by Walworth Publishing, and is also available now on the website www.thepulseofhope.com, at Rainy Day Books in Kansas City, Missouri. A full interview with Leeanne will be featured in a future issue of this newspaper.