1) The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott. I really liked this book.
It began when Annie, pregnant with her first child, came home to her Brooklyn tenement apartment to find her husband dead by suicide. He had opened their gas tap, so a fire ensued. Unexpectedly, Sister Savior from the Little Nursing Sister of the Sick Poor order showed up and began caring for Annie. Soon, two other nuns came also. The three of them spent the night with Annie in one of her friend's apartment. The nuns got Annie's place cleaned up and linens washed so that she could return to her own place. Annie began doing laundry at the convent, had her baby and raised the baby (Sally) with help from the sisters as Annie worked.
The book is eventually about Annie, Sally and Sally's children. A great read.
2) Charming Billy by Alice McDermott. I loved this book! It is about an Irish-American charming alcoholic man. I knew this man-it was my grandfather! I thought of him throughout the book!
The book began with the funeral of Billy Lynch. Of course, all of his family were there, most importantly, his wife Mauve, and his cousin Dennis.
When he was young, Billy fell in love with a visiting Irish girl. She returned to Ireland and he continued with his romantic ideas of a life with her, until his cousin Dennis told her that she had died. The story of Billy's life continued, although at times it was confusing for the reader.
This is a fascinating story, involving multiple characters-so much so, that I needed to write down a sort of family tree to keep it all straight. It's also a very complex story, about love, loyalty, betrayal, and forgiveness. And in the end, maybe it is a story about Dennis, told through Billy?? Alice McDermott at her best!
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