From: Edie_Ching at cathedral.org <Edie_Ching>
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 15:12:52 -0500

Like Ginny, A corner of the universe was my favorite book of the year. The main character reminded me of Scout from To kill a mockingbird in her fierce determination to do "what's right" even when it made her angry at the mother she adored, and even when she's not quite sure what is right. Painfully shy at the beginning of the story, her universe expands unexpectedly and profoundly.
 Another book I would bring to your attention is Wolf on the fold by the Australian writer Judith Clarke. It is a series of intergenerational stories set in Australian. The first story is very haunting, about a young teen-ager who must go off to find a job in order to support his family upon the sudden death of his father. He eats the breakfast his mother has prepared knowing that he is getting more than his share because of the hard task before him. The writing is reminiscent of Alice Munro. A later story tells of two sisters (relations of the main character) dealing with the senility of an aunt, who wander downtown to visit shops long demolished, or friends long dead. Images of laundry on the line hold some of the stories together. Treat yourself to a good read and then share it with older readers.
  Edie Ching Lower School Librarian St. Albans School for Boys Washington, D.C. edie_ching at cathedral.org
Received on Wed 18 Dec 2002 02:12:52 PM CST