The Knitting Circle

The Knitting Circle, by Ann Hood; W.W. Norton & Co. Publishing, 2008

Reviewed by Anne Ficarra

Here is one novel where I wasn't crazy about the chapter-by-chapter character format at first, but eventually appreciated it. Ficarra's The Knitting Circle is a book centered on coping with loss, friendship and yes, knitting. While mourning the death of her young daughter, Mary Baxter--the main character--learns to knit, and discovers that knitting soothes without distracting. The story is well-written and hangs together throughout, but I wish the author would have given more complete details of the knitting patterns. Another enjoyable read is After the Workshop, by John McNally. This funny story reminded me of John Irving's The Water-Method Man in the way the character describes what happened to him. The book includes cool quotations about and by writers on the art of writing. Now, I'm saving the best for last here--Birdology, by Sy Montgomery. I loved this book! Sy really kindled my interest and appreciation of birds. Her essays are engaging...I feel like I really know her. I was completely blown away by the intricacies of bird life, how smart they are, and how important they are to our environment.