Onansburg, Iowa

Peggy Lammers

Onansburg, Iowa begins in the thick haze of unexpected grief: After Sonny Dawson’s wife Polly dies suddenly, he finds himself going through the motions of the funeral rites. Perhaps there’s a kind of comfort in what feels like a pre-written script of the mourning rituals Sonny is asked to perform as the whole town of Onansburg gathers for Polly’s death. But after the funeral, Sonny is left without a way to navigate the full loss of the shared life he worked so hard to build with his wife.

In Polly’s absence, Sonny is confronted with revelations about who he is as he attempts to move forward with his new reality. He must now also contend with the underlying tension that has always strained his relationship with Polly’s family. The story takes place within the span of a week but weaves together the shared secrets, histories, and trauma of his family across multiple generations. As Sonny wades through the annals of his mind—guided by insights from friends and nemeses alike—he discovers the shocking memories responsible for shaping the way he is today.

Poignant, painful, and honest, Onansburg, Iowa reads like a subtle, sprawling epic of small-town America, establishing the town itself as one of the most crucial characters. Author Peggy Lammers has created a vividly written novel filled with relevant sociological and psychological insights that will challenge readers to look deeply and with more empathy at the people around them. This book will appeal to those who love literary fiction and enjoy discussing themes that shake our beliefs yet keep us grounded.

Peggy resides on Longboat Key, Florida having left her much-loved Iowa in 2014. Active in her church and community activities on the Key and in Sarasota, she was born in Iowa to C. R. and Esther Pester (Pester is pronounced with a Long E). Her brother, Jack, and his extended family maintain close family ties along with their ties to southern Iowa.

Peggy and her husband, David Lammers, were married for forty-five years before he passed away in 2005. David’s family, a sister and a brother, remain close in heart and spirit.

Peggy and David’s daughter, Lisabeth Lammers, has three outstanding children, as does their son, Jon Lammers, and his wife, Kathryn. So Peggy is blessed with six grandchildren.

A milestone in her life was graduation from Drake University at the age of forty six. While working for the family business, she graduated magna cum laude with Phi Beta Kappa recognition. Another “hurdle” was learning to ride at age sixty, fulfilling a lifelong dream of owning horses and riding competitively, although not with the highest distinction.

Peggy believes that stories and characters are everywhere just for the telling. Many are ongoing; we know nothing of them, and they are forever lost. The others blend with a conjunction of fact and fiction. This novel evolved from 1959 and is set in 1994; the context was not defined until Peggy’s better-late-than-never Bachelor of Arts degree in 1988.