Skip to main content

Out of the Easy


Out of the Easy is set in 1950s French Quarter, New Orleans.  The protagonist, like the city she inhabits, has her own dark specters whose source and spring is her prostitute mother.  Wanting to flee this mire and the stigma it carries, Josie devises a plan to get out.  Unfortunately, the sins of the mother are visited upon the daughter in the form a mob entanglement that threatens all that Josie values.  Yet, with the help of her friends, Josie emerges triumphant and acts upon the wisdom and courage that she’s gleaned from literary classics, taking this new understanding with her as she heads East.  Sepetys’ sophomore novel has not only a compelling plot, but also a narrative voice that rings true as the protagonist is forced to exist in a world that repulses her – code-switching between the seediness of a clandestine economy of favors and a burgeoning self-refinement.  In coming of age, Josie matures morally, psychologically, and socially matures as the result of her extraordinary experience; she must learn to reconcile her desperation to escape with her stalwart loyalty to those who have always sheltered her from her mother’s storm.  This novel will appeal to readers who enjoy realistic fiction’s tendency to recognize and navigate the pluralities of life as well as those language lovers who revel in the colorful musicality of southernisms à la Eudora Welty, Truman Capote, and Tennessee Williams.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Notes From the Field: Waltz Across Texas, First Dance

Originally published August 1, 2024 Library Developments Blog |  Library Development and Networking Division Texas State Library and Archives Commission In July, I kicked off the first in a series of day-long turns around clusters of small public libraries to tour their spaces and chat about how the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) can best support their leadership. This round, the fancy feet of Continuing Education and Consulting Team Manager Katherine Adelberg accompanied me as we spun through New Braunfels Public Library, Seguin Public Library, and Martindale Community Library. New Braunfels Public Library New Braunfels is perched on the brink of the Hill Country, right between San Antonio and Austin on I-35. Spanning Comal and Guadalupe counties with its 105,000 residents, it’s not only one of the fastest-growing cities, but is also regarded as one of the best 50 places to live in the United States. Established in 1845, New Braunfels is known for its German...
Post a Comment
Read more

Growing Library Leaders With Google Education Trainer Certification

At the Texas Association of School Library Administrators (TASLA) Workshop on June 14, 2016, I was part of a five-part panel presentation that focused on how campus librarians can become library leaders even though they are not library administrators. This presentation was later featured on TASL Talk s as a series titled “Growing Library Leaders.” Become a Certified Google Education Trainer grew out of my portion of the presentation and was originally published September 8, 2016. On April 10, 2018, it was re-posted on the Round Rock Independent School District's Teaching & Learning Blog Librarians have always been at the forefront of information technology, even if we haven’t always had that reputation. Be it in tablets, scrolls, codices, microforms, or databases, we’ve always gone where the information is in order to find answers. Unfortunately, as mere access to information has taken center stage, school libraries run the risk of becoming a Starbucks-without-the-cof...
Post a Comment
Read more

New Year, Old You: Using the Genealogy Resources at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission for Reflection and Renewal

Originally published February 12, 2025 Library Developments Blog    Library Development and Networking Division Texas State Library and Archives Commission   As the new year has well and truly begun, many people reflect on the past, seeking to understand where they come from, who their ancestors were, and how their family's history shaped their present. One of the best ways to begin exploring their roots is to visit their local library. Frequently, small rural libraries serve as repositories of local history. But, what about if a patron’s family has moved throughout various regions of the state? For a more expansive approach, utilizing the rich genealogy resources available at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) can provide a bigger picture. Whether they’re a seasoned researcher or just beginning their journey into family history, TSLAC offers a variety of tools to help patrons uncover the stories of their ancestors. A Treasure Trove of Records Th...
Post a Comment
Read more