"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Stanton is the blocked writer who sits in Vasco's cafe, taking in the local scene. He becomes deeply involved with the truly messy Potts family: drunken father, spacey mother, promiscuous daughter and lonely young son. Interestingly, they make a stab at pulling themselves together; Stanton's answer is to find someplace else to sit, perhaps in a more northern clime.
Two of the best stories are those of young Teresa, a village native, who has a chance to leave for London and an au pair position. Will she be able to leave? Ali writes beautifully of all the things weighing on her decision. The other story is that of an engaged couple from England, taking a break from wedding planning, her mother, church, and all the folderol. He is adamantly against the whole charade; she doesn't want to talk about it. That isn't what their distance is about anyway, as we find out
The villagers are waiting for the arrival of Marco Alfonso Rodrigues, a man who left years ago and is reputed to possess great wealth. Everyone has a different idea of what will happen when he arrives and how his presence will impact the life of the village. When he finally arrives late in the story, nothing is quite as anticipated.
One of Ali's characters says, "We think we live like kings, but we are puppets on the throne. We send out proclamations and fancy we are making History and forget that it has made us." With great compassion and insight, Ali writes of her "kings," and we learn how their history has, indeed, formed them. She leaves us to wonder if they can change, or if they really want to. --Valerie Ryan
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. First Edition. First American Edition, First Printing with full number line. Signed, without inscription, and dated 20/5/06 (year of publication) by author on the FULL title page. New unread As New book in As New dust jacket. All our books are bubble wrapped and shipped in a sturdy box with Delivery Confirmation. NO remainder mark, NO previous owner markings or inscriptions, NOT price clipped, NOT a Book Club Edition, NOT an Ex-Lib. Dust jacket covered in protective clear wrapper. Signed. Seller Inventory # 007153
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. New book, unmarked, in crisp DJ. ; 0.9 x 9.3 x 6.5 Inches; 226 pages. Seller Inventory # 25348
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Brand New!. Seller Inventory # VIB0743293037
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. 1st Edition. New York: Scribner [2006]. First edition. First printing. Hardbound. New, in dust jacket. Very fine/ very fine in all respects, a pristine unread copy, never opened except for signing. SIGNED BY AUTHOR on title page (name only). Comes with protective mylar dust jacket cover. [cS1]. Signed by Author(s). Seller Inventory # pp0606-4
Book Description Condition: New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title! 1. Seller Inventory # Q-0743293037