After the Falls Coming of Age in the Sixties

The vivid and touching sequel to the bestselling memoir Too Close to the Falls.

It's 1960 and twelve-year-old Cathy McClure has just been thrown out of Catholic school for-among other transgressions-filling the holy water fount with vodka. In the hopes of giving Cathy a fresh start away from their small town, the McClures leave behind Niagara Falls and the family pharmacy to start over in suburban Buffalo. But life in a subdivision and a school filled with "pubescent cheddar" holds little appeal for a girl who began working at four and smoking at nine. As the quaint world of 1950s America recedes into history, Cathy dives headfirst into the 1960s. Along the way, she adopts many personas with gusto-vandal, HoJo hostess, FBI suspect, civil rights demonstrator- but when tragedy strikes at home, Cathy must take on her most challenging role yet.

As candid and compelling as Mary Karr's The Liars' Club and Jeanette Walls's The Glass Castle, After the Falls is an irresistible account of one girl's comingof-age during a tumultuous era and the moving tale of a rebellious spirit learning what it means to be a daughter.

A hilarious and moving follow-up to The New York Times bestselling Too Close to the Falls.

Catherine Gildiner shares the next chapter in a story that has already captivated many readers. It's 1960, and twelve-year-old Cathy McClure has just been thrown out of Catholic school for filling the holy water font with vodka. Hoping to give her a fresh start, Cathy's parents leave behind small-town Niagara Falls for suburban Buffalo. There, as the quaint world of 1950s America recedes into history, Cathy dives headfirst into the tumultuous new decade. But when tragedy strikes at home, Cathy-vandal, HoJo hostess, and civil rights demonstrator-must take on her most challenging role yet.