Book description
Welcome to the childhood of Catherine McClure Gildiner. It is the mid-1950s in Lewiston, New York, a sleepy town near Niagara Falls. Divorce is unheard of, mothers wear high heels to the beauty salon, and television has only just arrived.
At the tender age of four, Cathy accompanies Roy, the…
Why read it?
2 authors picked Too Close to the Falls as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I love memoirs. I've read many and written one myself. Catherine Gildiner’s tale of her preteen years is a cut above. Too Close to the Falls begins unassumingly with an assortment of mildly amusing tales but soon ushers in several surprises. Characters that I thought we were done with had a habit of reappearing, providing nuance and depth to Catherine's slightly unusual circumstances. Superficially entertaining anecdotes led to deeper, more disturbing material; a cameo from Marilyn Monroe provides a spark of decadent glamour, but Gildiner is not content with reality as perceived by a child. The child matures, and so…
Too Close to the Falls is hilarious and moving with a dark side that at first is undetectable. Gildner's memoir is richly absorbing and captures childhood's essence, where each experience is a lesson. In the 1950s, Too Close to the Falls is an exquisite, haunting portrayal of friendships, brushes with death, and how a schoolgirl affects the course of aboriginal politics. Memorable and skillfully told.
From Karen's list on mental health, addiction, and families.
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