Joanna, the daughter of a weak, mentally distraught mother and a distant father, tells the story of a 1940s’ childhood in "Calico Jam", a fictionalized version of her life story. Memories flourish at Edgecombe, Joanna’s... Read More

The authors seem to be a match made in heaven, here on earth. They are both practitioners of “self-development” and believers in the powers of holistic health care. They appreciate the power of humor, believe in divine inspiration,... Read More

Nuance and understatement deepen this story about an Icelandic girl’s developing relationship with her pony, and teach an important lesson about how an animal’s needs must always take priority, even over the desires of an eager... Read More

Little did Naomi Fisher imagine what changes a simple promise to her mother would wreak upon her life. Immediately after her mother’s terrible accident, Naomi vowed to care for her younger siblings, especially two-month-old Zach. The... Read More

Of the many risks that poets may choose, this one opts—unusually—for quietness. These poems speak in an understated, direct voice, with few verbal flourishes or tricks with language. “Gray,” for example, begins with the prosaic... Read More

The author joins the raft of exiled poets, writing about his and his family’s journey from Cuba to Spain, and finally to the United States. All of these poems are haunted by what was left behind: a country, an identity, lush flowers,... Read More

A tranquil and protected life in the ivory tower is rarely enjoyed by faculty and never experienced by university presidents. Wachman, in his engaging memoir, mentions that being president of Temple University, Philadelphia’s large... Read More

Delightful Designs: When Boston’s Museum of Fine Art (MFA) announced that it was planning to mount an exhibit featuring cars (March 6 to July 3, 2005), the Brahmins of the New England art community were alarmed. Then a month before the... Read More