From the book shelf at Harbord House Pub. Several years ago, I read "Larry's Party" and "The Stone Diaries". 'Enjoyed them both. About Carol Shields (1935 - 2003): she was a beloved Canadian author and won many literary prizes including Pulitzer Prize, Governor General's Award (a "GG"), Prix de Lire, Orange Prize, Charles Taylor for Non-Fiction prize and so on. Just recently, The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction was established to honour literature by women. The annual prize will award $150,000 to the winning work and $12,500 to each of the shortlisted finalists. Novelist Jane Urquardt on this book: (from a Globe & Mail review): "....brilliant, humane and deeply satisfying".