Wonder Spot

Through the eyes of a compelling outsider, this title captures the life cycle of a family and watches their lives--and the outsider's--unfold over the ensuing two decades.

Melissa Bankas debut, "The Girlsa Guide to Hunting and Fishing," was a literary landmark and a runaway bestseller. Now, in "The Wonder Spot," she reminds us why she has been compared to John Cheever and Raymond Carver. Shaped by Bankas trademark blend of emotional depth and wry humor, "The Wonder Spot" traces the coming-of-age of Sophie, black sheep of the Applebaum family of Surrey, Pennsylvania. As we follow her from the sweet bewildering moments of adolescence through the rigors of life and love in New York City, we are treated to a profoundly intelligent, page-turning triumph that confirms Melissa Bankas reputation as a singular talent.