"Honest, exquisitely measured . . . inspiring in its reminder of the human spirit's capacity to endure."--The New York Times Book Review

" An] astute study of family and place."--Washington Post Book World

In this collection of autobiographical essays, Maryse Conde vividly evokes the relationships and events that gave her childhood meaning: discovering her parents' feelings of alienation; her first crush; a falling out with her best friend; the death of her beloved grandmother; her first encounter with racism.

These gemlike vignettes capture the spirit of Conde's...