我们的日子The sum of our days

StarredReview.Inthisdeeplyrevealingsecondmemoir,afterPaula,novelistAllende(TheHouseofSpirits)utilizesherfamilyandthecomplexnetworkoftheirrelationshipsasthelinchpinofthenarrative.Whileweavinginhercandidopinionsonloveandmarriage,friendship,drugaddiction,thewritinglifeandreligiousfanaticism,Allendecontinuestoworkthroughthegriefoverherdaughter'sdeath.IntheseyearswithoutyouIhavelearnedtomanagesadness,makingitmyally.Littlebylittleyourabsenceandotherlossesinmylifeareturningintoasweetnostalgia.AndthoughAllende'sinsightiskeen,herprosepolishedandherlanguagehypnotic,it'sthestoriesofherclose-knitfamilythatmovethememoirforward.Welivedasatribe,Chileanstyle;wewerealmostalwaystogether.Whilemuchofthestoryisinfusedwithmelancholy,herworldisbynomeanswithouthumor,mirthandwisdom.Shecelebratesfriends'triumphsandexploitstheirfoibles,includingtheodysseyoftheboobs,withouttakingherselftooseriously.Thisisabooktosavor.(Apr.)Copyright©ReedBusinessInformation,adivisionofReedElsevierInc.Allrightsreserved.--ThistextreferstotheHardcoveredition.