Book Reviews

Book Review

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Bridge of SighsRichard Russo2007, Alfred Knophpub., 528 pgsRichard Russo has written many books in many genres– fiction, essays, a memoir, short stories–but since Empire Falls won the Pulitzer Prize in 2002, his name and reputation have been in a bit of a shadow, as younger writers have risen to occupy the limelight. Bridge of Sighs is not new; in fact, it’s nearly 20 years old, but it is not out of date. Its themes, handled subtly, include violence, alcohol and drug addiction, adultery, gang-related issues, bullying, racism, poverty. There is very little direct reference to some of them, and often the reader senses from delicate clues that there is something going on behind the scenes. In that way great suspense is built, something only an experienced, gifted writer can manage.The complex plot centers around a boy named Louis Lynch, nicknamed Lucy, to his chagrin.

Book Reviews

Book Review

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The Safekeep is in some ways a historical novel–in other ways, and more important ways, an exploration of the kind of damage that wartime experiences can have on those who were children at the time.

Columns

Food For Thought

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Labor Day – September 1
“Nothing will work unless you do.” – Maya Angelou
“Labor Day is a time to honor the legacy of the labor movement and the ongoing pursuit of social and economic justice.” – Nestasia
National Grandparents Day September 7
“Love is the greatest gift that one generation can leave to another.”
– Richard Garnett
“One of the most powerful handclasps is that of a new grandbaby around the finger of a grandfather.”
– Joy Hargrove
“Most grandmas have a touch of the scallywag.”
– Helen Thompson
“You will never look back on life and think ‘I’ve spent too much time with my grandchildren.’” – Unknown