ELLEN FOSTER by Kaye Gibbons

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GIBBONS
Ellen's heart-wrenching descriptions of life in her very dysfunctional family would make unbearably depressing reading if they were not interspersed with revelations of her present life with her delightful new foster family.
Until she arrived at her "new mother's" home, Ellen had suffered the suicide of her mother, threats of murder, sexual abuse, and a variety of dreadful homes.
Her only respite was a brief stint living with her art teacher and visits to her African American friend's family. Fortunately, Ellen's sturdy good sense and strong spirit carry her through to a decent life.

CHARMS FOR THE EASY LIFE by Kaye Gibbons

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GIBBONS

Charlie Kate was a strong southern woman. A successful midwife and self-educated doctor of the needy, she put more conventionally trained doctors to shame. She was not so successful in her marriage, however, and her husband left her and her beautiful daughter, Sophia. Sophia also married a weak man, despite her mother's advice, but he died prematurely. Fortunately, he had already fathered Margaret, the narrator of the stories of these three generations of women.

Margaret shares the stories of all three, including their doctoring adventures and their experience of World War II. Despite her own unsuccessful marriage, Charlie Kate has excellent advice for Sophia and Margaret regarding men.

Women who enjoy southern writers, humorous stories, and recent historical fiction are likely to be charmed by the no-so-easy but most interesting lives of Charlie Kate, Sophia, and Margaret.