Lynda, your harrowing suburban meltdown story vividly reminds me of knowing you out there in the burbs, and of all the love and devotion you gave to Jim despite how hard it was for you to live there. You are a wonderful woman and a wonderful writer!

Thank you, Lynda. Your Mall Memoir quietened my nerves on a nerve-wracking day at Public Storage where I experienced symptoms of collateral meltdown while my sister went the full monty over all those un-get-at-able possessions of hers. Our replacement toaster, btw, is a piece of shit, but that's another story.

Linda & friends, this is just absolutely beautiful. Inspirational, genuine...extremely well executed. Love, Divney

Dear Lynda, Paula and John, Your pieces made me long for the good old days in that cobalt blue kitchen. I've heard different versions of many of these pieces and I heard your voices in my head as I read these most recent incarnations. Lynda, I love your lack of sentimentality about both Pat and your grandfather. And it says so much about you that you worked to stay in contact with Pat and to get the real story behind that slap. John, your story about Johnny chilled me the first time I heard it. And it still does. You invoke that alien world where Johnny spent his first few years so powerfully. Paula, I've loved hearing the stories of your complicated relationship with your mother. So many of us grew up as the daughters of those unfulfilled, frustrated women. I loved reading about little Paula trying to find comfort in a world that seemed pretty cold.

I just read Lynda Myles' 2 pieces. the first, "My Friend Pat," was intriguing and very moving. Instead of theorizing about or analyzing Pat's motivations and behavior, Lynda allows us to glimplse the life of an indomitable and inspiring human spirit. "The Slap" I had read before, in a more preliminary version. The final product is beautifully crafted, pulling you along as the story opens wider -- and then snaps shut at the end. The charactizations are brief and brilliant. This is a powerful piece of work, that I loved reading again.