Sea Glass

Sea Glass by Anita Shreve In the textile-manufacturing
region of New Hampshire in 1929 newlyweds Honora and
Sexton Beecher wrestle with all the wonders and challenges
that young couples have always faced. Theyve just
purchased a house near the ocean that needs a lot of work
but the couple is dedicated to making it a home. When the
economy fails and a single unscrupulous act perpetrated by
Sexton is revealed more than love will be required to keep
the marriage from collapsing under the weight of this
betrayal. Sexton — formerly a traveling salesman — is
forced to take a job at the local mill alongside other men
women and children whose very survival is being threatened
by the harsh burden of their daily toil. Repeated pay cuts
and inhumane conditions propel the workers closer to a
potentially violent clash with management and union
breakers. Alliances are formed honor is challenged and
character flaws become fatal as the tinderbox explodes
leaving old bonds broken and new ones bolstered. Momentum
builds steadily in this beautifully developed story
unfettered by needless machinations. Shreve deftly weaves
the lives of a diverse collection of characters into a
tapestry that is rich with the complete range of human
emotion and lush with tactile nuance. (Ann Kashickey)