Glorie

Plot

A funny and heartrending first novel that "manages to infiltrate the soul of a most ordinary woman, and what a soul it turns out to be!" The unlikely heroine of this remarkable first novel is Glorie, an independent-minded octogenarian widow who still talks to her dead husband. Pampered by fifty years of marriage to a man she truly loved, Glorie finds that coping with life alone is a lot easier if you have some company. Despite her daughter's and other friends' well-meaning attempts to console her, Glorie is doing just fine, thank you very much--except that sometimes things just seem to be slipping out of her grasp. Poignant and wise, funny and real, this portrait of an indomitable, fallible, and fragile woman will pull at your heartstrings as it buoys your spirit. With Glorie, New York Times critic Caryn James has written an unforgettable tale of memory and the persistence of love. "An unflinching portrait, merciless as certain Rembrandts. . . . A splendid character. An impressive first novel." --The Washington Post Book World "A dazzling accomplishment." --Susan Isaacs, author of Compromising Positions "Glorie is that rare gift, a treasure of wisdom and humor, all the pain and joy that come in a lifetime of love. Caryn James has written a beautiful story, as stunning in its pitch-perfect clarity as in its resonant depth. Glorie's voice is unforgettable." --Mary McGarry Morris, author of Songs in Ordinary Time