...by Anna Quindlen. I read it on seven Cds while driving. The story is told from the point of view of Mary Margaret, called Mimi by her family. Starting when she is a young girl of about ten years of age, throughout her life as she grows, leaves home, starts a career and a family. I enjoyed hearing the tale of a community that changes over time,and of her family as she matures and becomes an adult.
The place she grows up in is a valley that the federal government wants to flood, to use as a reservoir. There is a dam in place as the story begins, though the community is resistant to the idea that their lands will eventually be covered by a lake as the water rises. People age, die, move on over time, homes and land is sold, giving the government an edge to apply more pressure to the families that are still holdouts with land they have farmed for generations. Mimi's family is resistant, but times and people change.
A sweet tale of a young woman learning some of life's hard lessons, as she interacts with family and friends in her community. A few surprises pop up in the course of the story, unexpected plot twists. The reader spends so much time with Mimi, it is difficult to get to the end and let her go, even though she has had a long, full, happy life. At the end it is gratifying to have shared her experiences as you hear her reflect on her history, and successful career as a family practice doctor.
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