"Despite claims of feminine strength and independence, her lust for surrender had re-fueled an almost eighteenth-century vision of a Woman."

People usually have no idea of how significant some present events are until they are seen in hindsight. When the importance of these fixed moments in time is chronicled by a gifted storyteller such as Coe, the result is a treasure. The author's book consists of a compelling series of first-person reflections by an artistic spirit frantically capturing the sights and sounds of an entire generation's potential. These are broken up into thoughts, snapshots, and moments, each being viewed by the main character, struggling to define the empowerment and emerging atmosphere of the day.

There is a transient quality to the characters, a vivid Greek chorus that seems to jump in and out of frame every few pages. SoHo of the 1960s shines, and the communal energy of these various characters and memories seems to linger with the reader long after they have been traded in for different events and concepts. Each one brims with youthful mania and liberation, the author's wistfulness turning them into shadows as the book progresses.

This interesting and engaging book does an outstanding job of grasping the historical ideals and changing convictions of the age that serves as its backdrop. It also manages to catalogue all the different aspects of this unusual era. The author has written a truly personal opus and one that captivates as well as inspires. It is brimming with imagery and rich pathos that never seem over-indulgent or forced. It's merely a personal journey and experience, yet the author's narrative is filled with nostalgic reflections that transport the reader. Told in a thoughtful and masterful manner. Coe's book is certain to delight anyone who picks it up.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

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