The Last Ballad and Faithful

Two more books I have read so far this summer:

1) The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash-I had read another of Wiley Cash's books and liked it, so I was interested in reading this one when I saw it.  It was a good read, telling the story of women and men working in a mill in North Carolina in 1929.  Ella May Wiggins had four children and her husband had run off from her.  She worked twelve hours a day in the mill and made $9.00 a week.  Union organizers came to town, and Ella went to their rally just out of curiosity.  She  decided to join the movement.

The novel is based on a true story about Ella May Wiggins. It's very interesting and tragic.  Real life long ago? Sometimes I wonder.  Good book!

2) Faithful by Alice Hoffman-yes, one of my favorite authors (I seem to have many).  Faithful is a story about Shelby Richmond who as a teenager was involved in a horrific accident and was left to live with the consequences.  She received an anonymous postcard reading just "Say something", with a drawing of Shelby's house on the front of it.  Over the next few years, she would receive more of the postcards. As soon as she could, Shelby moved to New York to start her life over.  She began working at a pet shop, met Marvelle, a single mother with three children, and eventually with help from others, Shelby finds herself.  It's a beautiful book of surviving and forgiving.  Another winner for Alice Hoffman!