Change is the only constant.

In Jincy Willett's latest book, Amy Falls Down, a random accident puts into motion all sorts of changes in the life of the title character. Amy is a writer, a semi-famous writer who peaked early and now in middle age lives a life of no connection. Although she ekes out a living writing, (her blog is titled Go Away!) editing, and also teaching writing classes, Amy mostly stays at home with her unaffectionate beagle. She is mildly agoraphobic and has many neurosis that probably all of us could recognize. In spite of all this, as we read Amy's thoughts she is smart and very funny.  She wickedly observes popular culture and literary celebrity. In this very funny and touching book we come to care about Amy and delight in her metamorphosis. ML

The Dirty Life

Kristin Kimball was a thirty-something writer living in New York City when she went to interview a farmer for an article. The farmer put her to work and also was handsome and interested. This precipitated a life change, moving to a farm and living with a partner. Kimball and her husband bought their own farm eventually,farmed with draft horses and raised and butchered their own meat. She describes the back breaking labor as well as the pleasures of farm life in this well written memoir, The Dirty Life: On Farming,Food, and Love.