Award-winning author of the national best-seller Tumbling, Diane McKinney-Whetstone is an immensely talented author of African American fiction. It is 1965 in Philadelphia and Clarise, Finch, and their three adolescent daughters are living a financially privileged life. But when Finch's business falls on hard times and Clarise suffers a mental breakdown, their idyllic world is shattered and their daughters are endangered.
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"on one hand while I want to call the story enjoyable, because it really was, there's the other hand that prefers to leave my thoughts on a memorable fine reading experience. It was very hard to put this one down. I'll treasure it forever. It must be experienced."
— RYCJ (5 out of 5 stars)
“McKinney-Whetstone does not simply tell a fine story but conjures a world, storms and all, between the covers.”
— Washington Post“A first-rate novel; highly recommended.”
— Library Journal“Each character is unforgettable in this powerful story about family and how good and bad experiences bond and destroy those relationships.”
— Booklist“Philadelphia in 1965 comes alive in this fast-moving story of courage and determination…all ends happily. All of the characters are uniquely and vividly drawn.”
— School Library Journal“McKinney-Whetstone’s gifts as a writer continue to fascinate.”
— San Francisco Chronicle“McKinney-Whetstone solidifies her position as a writer of well-crafted, serious popular fiction…McKinney-Whetstone is masterful at rendering the spaces between people, giving to the air that separates them a taste, a texture, a soul.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer" LOVE this author. This one isn't quite as fantastic as Tumbling, but still a beautiful read. "
— Wendy, 11/25/2013" A friend of mine read this book and loved it. While I also loved her writing style, I kept expecting more to happen in the 200+ pages. It was definitely more about character development than the story itself, which is not all bad. "
— Sarah, 10/16/2013" Ooh, I loved this book. It was so much fun to read! And I hadn't really experienced a book that was so much fun before this one! It's a beautiful story about African American life, complete with lovely words and grand description! "
— Jena, 8/26/2013" This author never disappoints. Stories are always heartfelt and makes you feel like you are there feeling every single emotion. Beautifully written. Highly recommend!! "
— Jenene, 8/11/2013" Amazing. She knows how to tell a story. Great Read! "
— Jillian, 7/26/2013" Whoo eee. What parents won't do to save their mentally ill children from themselves, including going underground. "
— De, 5/20/2013" Set in Phladelphia. The author spoke at the Book Fair at school. "
— Judy, 3/14/2013" Great character development, beautifully written. I read this in my book club and it was a book that we all enjoyed, our favorite one so far. Great book to talk about and recommend to others. "
— Rachel, 12/17/2012" An old favorite of all time! Absolutely love the writing style. Have definitely read more than once. "
— Tsehay, 10/31/2012" Although I really enjoyed the book, I found the ending to be rather anti-climatic. "
— Melia, 10/7/2012Diane McKinney-Whetstone is the author of five acclaimed novels and the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Library Association’s Black Caucus Literary Award for Fiction, which she won twice. She teaches fiction writing at the University of Pennsylvania and lives in Philadelphia with her husband, Greg.
Susan Spain has appeared on stages in New York City, across the United States, and in Europe. Performances includes roles in an international production of The Best of Broadway and a staging of Little Shop of Horrors at the Smithsonian Institute’s Folklife Festival in Washington, DC. She has also appeared in Hair.