Editor Reviews:

Product Description:
The acclaimed New York Times columnist and author of Living Out Loud now gives readers a superb novel about an Irish-Italian family in the late 1960s. Quindlen's sharp eye for the way we live, her intelligence and humor have won her an enormous following, and this coming-of-age tale of an entire generation will delight readers of any era.

Rating : - Coming to terms..
I really enjoyed this book even though it wasn't my typical read.
Maggie, almost 13, is finding herself amidst all the turmoil around her. Her mother is also finding herself.
I was really drawn into the characters' struggles.
It may have been stereotyped for some, but for me, it was an eye-opening experience getting inside others lives this way. Monica, Maggie's cousin, I came to almost hate and really pity someone so shallow and selfish. Connie, her mom, I felt so much sympathy for. She seemed so depressed for the majority of the book. I could understand why she was becoming attracted to Joe, a man from her past. When one feels emotionally dead it is easy to become infatuated with someone who shows attention and appreciates you. Tommy, Maggie's dad, just seemed so detached.
I could go on and on about this book..yes, it's stereotyped, but in a different way.
On a different note, since I am a Christian and VERY picky about what I read or watch, I have to say that there are quite a few GD words that was offensive to me. I continued to read because I knew that that was how this family lived.