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Rise and Shineby Anna Quindlen |
Arlene Almas: This is a story of two sisters: the younger,
Bridget Fitzmaurice (the main character), has always depended on her older sister Meghan, even
before their parents died when they were children and they went to live with their aunt and uncle.
Meghan is now the host of a mega-popular morning TV show and is recognized everywhere; Bridget is the
director of an agency in the Bronx which helps women and children who are struggling with homelessness,
physical and sexual abuse, and all the other tragedies residents of a large housing project in a
poverty-stricken area are subject to. When an unexpected on-air mishap on Meghan's show causes her to
take a leave, everyone's life is upended as Bridget seeks to keep her family, including Meghan's son Leo
and her husband Evan, functioning. At the same time she must continue dealing with the clients'
problems at her agency. A shocking event near the end draws everyone closer together, and shows Bridget
how much strength she really has. The book is written with both sensitivity and wit and delivers
characters rich with emotional truth.
Rating: *****
