From: Gibson, Robin <rgibson>
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 95 14:49:16 CST

Thanks, JoAnn, for your comments and additions to Sharon Creech's
     background. That does help fill out things for me a bit. I must admit
     to being surprised that Creech didn't visit Madison, as that is where
     I live and I was quite impressed with her description:
     
        "The city of Madison sprawls between two lakes, Lake Mendota and
     Lake Monona, and dribbling out of these are other piddly lakes. It
     seemed as if the whole city was on vacation, with people riding around
     on their bikes and walking along the lakes and feeding the ducks and
     eating and canoeing and windsurfing. I'd never seen anything like it."
     (WTM, p. 55)
     
     I loved this description!! I love Madison and from my office I can see
     both lakes, and people sailing and windsurfing--even on this hottest
     of days. I know she could have gotten the information about the lakes
     just from looking at a map, but more me at the time I read it, she
     really seemed to capture a bit of the spirit of the place as seen
     through Sal's eyes. I wouldn't have expected that from Fodor's!!
     
     Creech seemed to do this with a number of the places she describes on
     the journey west. The fact that Creech herself made a similar journey
     helps to explain that sense of place that is so real in her books.
     
     On another thread, I wouldn't describe this as a book about a native
     American either. This is a part of her heritage that is very important
     to Sal (I think people like to think there is something unique and
     special about them) and I think she is respectful and proud of her
     heritage even though she knows little about it and isn't particularly
     politically correct. (Although I do think her respect and pride make
     her what politically correct should represent--the attitude and
     feelings are more important than using the correct terms). Mention is
     made of her very long shiny black hair, which maybe she, and others,
     think of as a visible sign of Native American heritage. If people
     haven't read the book, but just hear a few selective things about it
     and look at the cover, maybe then they think of it as Native American.
     But once they've read it . . .

        Robin
Received on Fri 14 Jul 1995 03:49:16 PM CDT