Monday, February 8, 2016

A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories by Lucia Berlin

I learned about the author from the editor and forward of the book.  Berlin was an amazing writer raising four sons despite her health and alcoholism, which she overcame later in life.  The short stories are semi-biographical depicting switchboard operators, cleaning ladies, physician's assistants and laundromat attendants. - professions she had before teaching at the University of Colorado. These workers try to make a living and face all kinds of hardships, but are at peace with their situations.  Berlin wrote about the nuances of everyday lives, the decisions and ramifications one must face up to.  In Unmanageable a mother tries her best to cope with her alcoholism to function.  Some of these stories reflect time she spent with her sister dying of cancer, and police brutality long before it came in the news.  I'm glad to discover the author and hope to read more of her works.

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