The Riverhouse Stories by Andrea Carlisle

Review
As the introduction attests, The Riverhouse Stories was one of those books that had a hard time finding a publisher. And it is a difficult book to categorize. The stories are short (a few pages at most), and at first glance, incredibly simple. There is Lazy LaRue, contemplating a difficult cat, and Pubah S. Queen, determined to organize her life. There are stories on feeding ducks, seeing rainbows, and visiting friends. While the subject matter changes, the feeling does not: all are fanciful, glowing, thoughtful - childlike in the best meaning of the term. If you are one of those people who thinks the world needs to be saved by something more practical than love, you might be inclined to dismiss this book. But give yourself a chance. Enter Lazy and Pubah's houseboat where all dreams are listened to and life is often composed of simple issues. Wonder at Pubah, female electrician in a male-dominated profession, a woman with ever so much to do. Smile at Lazy, who writes and thinks wide thoughts and finally decides to write about the woman she loves. And wait, as their whimsical, beautiful life sneaks into yours. -- From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Erica Bauermeister