A tale of intense friendship by the author of "Bel Canto".
Found my reaction to this to be ambivalent. I spent a good deal of my childhood in hospital and suffered constant teasing as did Lucy Grealy, but I found her adult self, her possessiveness and constant self-seeking both sad and intensely irritating. Nevertheless I read this avidly. I looked up a lot about Grealy and Patchett afterwards and found some interesting "other sides" from her family, who barely rate a mention in Patchett's book. Google SueEllen Grealy.

Sending to a sister, Winjijimmi, before I release at OBCZ in Kangaroo Valley.

I love Ann Patchett's writing and in this respect the book did not disappoint. However the heroine (Lucy) is just not my kind of person - she annoyed the s... out of me with her outsized ego. It was interesting to get a feel for what it's like to be an author and the sequence of Patchett's novel-writing.

In bookshelf at end of counter.