Synopses & Reviews
A companion volume to the classic seller, When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple, this collection illuminates the experiences of women, young and old, reflecting on the choices they have made. Whether exploring significant public events or small private choices, Sandra Martz again captures word portraits that resonate with authenticity from the tapestry of their lives. This absorbing collection eloquently reflects women's choices, from a ten-year-old girl making a relationship decision to a grown woman who must choose whether or not to "burden" her aging parents with the news that she is seriously ill, to a charmingly eccentric older woman who "would not change one stitch... not one stitch" in the fabric of her life. Some speak of lost opportunities: "I wait too long; I watch the moment pass/till only ashes stir upon the grass" or things they would do differently: "If I could begin again... let me begin again by being a better daughter". More often, however, these women proclaim a sense of satisfaction with their lives and "would not change a single breathless moment".
This powerful and insightful collection features many talented contributors from Sandra Martz's best-selling When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple. Like that earlier volume, this bestseller is a perfect gift book because it speaks to readers of all ages and as the Los Angeles Times has declared, it is a gentle reminder that we still have time to change.
Synopsis
This companion volume to the award-winning anthology, When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple, illuminates the experiences of women, young and old, reflecting on the choices they have made. In these stories and poems we see how women's alternatives are both extended and limited by personal belief systems, ethnic and cultural identity, class and economic status, age, and gender. Whether exploring significant public events or small private choices, these word portraits resonate with authenticity and meaning.