Summer of '52

by Judith Rice

This collection of slice-of-life short stories paints a tableau of the people who inhabit a small, Midwestern town in the early 1950’s. Lena—an aspiring dancer; Phillip—a teen struggling with his sexual identity; Ursula—a grieving mother; Doris—a victim of debilitating depression; Lacey—a girl growing up on the wrong side of the tracks; and Rosie—adopted by a childless couple in her eighth year; all of these characters and more reveal the stories of their lives behind closed doors. As the inhabitants confront their crises, whether fleeting or existential, the reader is drawn into their struggles, and becomes invested in their deliverance.

255 pages, Paperback

Published April 8, 2019

Reviews

[Jane Hufstedler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

This is a book of ordinary people struggling to make their way in small town America in a world that is changing quickly in 1952. Judy is a wonderful story teller and the chapters just fly by. The main characters are the children around whom life seems to move. There is abuse and neglect and love and loss. It's life and this author has it leaping off the page to keep us turning pages to the end. I want more and I'm sure she has more stories to tell us.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great debut book. It was an easy read with interesting characters. I finished feeling like I wanted to know more about each one.