Dawn Powell: Novels 1944-1962 (Library of America)
Powell was a noteworthy novelist of mid-20th-century America  whose satirical observations and keen sense of the complexities  of social relationships unfolded into a perceptive chronicle of  the two milieus she knew so well the melancholy frustrations of  small-town life in Ohio and the brutal sophistication of uptown  Manhattan. She enjoyed a reputation in Greenwich Village  literary circles for her wit, humor, compassion, and somewhat  hedonistic lifestyle. And yet, despite a steady stream of  publications throughout her career, she never achieved the  popularity, critical acclaim, and financial security she so  richly deserved and so desperately sought. Thanks to the  tireless efforts of Page (Dawn Powell: A Biography, LJ 9/15/98),  Powell's writings have been rescued from literary obscurity and  added to the prestigious Library of America series. Collected  here are nine novels spanning her prolific career. Volume 1  includes Dance Night; Come Back to Sorrento; Turn, Magic Wheel;  Angels on Toast; and A Time To Be Born. Included in Volume 2 are  My Home Is Far Away, The Locusts Have No King, The Wicked  Pavilion, and The Golden Spur. Page's chronology of Powell's  career and his extensive chapter notes promote a deeper  understanding of this distinctive literary voice. Together with  her diaries and selected letters, these volumes firmly establish  Powell's contribution to American literature. Each novel is  fairly short, making this set an attractive option for book club  members seeking new material. For all serious literature  collections. Denise S. Sticha, Murrysville Community Lib., PACopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.