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12/03/2004

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TIP OF THE WEEK
Jean Harfenist

Brian Hieggelke

Although disguised as a story collection, Jean Harfenist's "A Brief History of the Flood" is really a small first novel, befitting the relatively undersized character of its protagonist. Set on a lake town in Minnesota, Lillian grows up against the backdrop of the sixties, with an alcoholic philandering father, a small brood of distracting siblings and a pill-popping mother, Marion, whose manic joie de vie casts a shadow large enough for ten Lillians. Though not the oldest, Lillian is the voice of reason, the rock of responsibility. Her best friend Irene is another version of her mother: beautiful, unpredictable and drawn to trouble. Lillian tries to navigate between the dangerous magnetic pulls of these two women, striving for a life of normalcy in a world of lunatics. Harfenist has a talent for depicting the quiet craziness of routine American life, but the book's ultimate strength lies in the portraits of Irene and Marion. As much as we admire Lillian's fortitude and would ourselves emulate her hard-fought path to survival of the dullest, we can't help but cheer for her to quit her job and hit the road with Irene, living on stolen credit cards and god-knows-what-else.

Jean Harfenist reads July 17 at Barbara's, 1100 West Lake, Oak Park, (708)848-9140.

(2002-07-11)

Also by Brian Hieggelke

TIP OF THE WEEK
Great science writing, or any great writing for that matter, takes a subject that may be of little interest to the reader (say, botany) and not only engages said reader in its subject , but creates a curiosity that outlives the time spent with the book.
(2002-06-27)

TIP OF THE WEEK
Acclaimed cookbook author Deborah Madison is a board member and former market manager of the Santa Fe Area Farmers' Market. She visited more than 100 other markets, and has just published "Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets."
(2002-06-20)

TIP OF THE WEEK
In her new novel, "Lucky in the Corner," acclaimed novelist Carol Anshaw thrusts us into the life of a typical Chicago family for a year or so. The family has its idiosyncrasies, as do most: mom left dad years back for a life of domestic lesbian tranquility; uncle is straight but likes to dress in drag.
(2002-05-23)

Anshavian
Chicago author Carol Anshaw's new novel, "Lucky in the Corner," is being published May 22. Here we present a profile of Anshaw first published in 1993, in the wake of her acclaimed debut, "Aquamarine."
(2002-05-22)

TIP OF THE WEEK
(2002-05-16)

AMERICAN ICONS: Garbo Lives
(2002-05-09)

TIP OF THE WEEK
(2002-05-02)

TIP OF THE WEEK
(2002-04-25)

MusicNOW Concert
(2002-04-25)

TIP OF THE WEEK
(2002-04-18)

TIP OF THE WEEK
(2002-04-11)

TABLE TALK
(2001-09-13)

Sunday, Aug. 29
Green Mill, Chicago-Uptown

Uptown Poetry Slam
(Words » Slams & Open Mics)