Play Book Tag discussion

Anything is Possible is a collection of nine cumulative stories that provide a portrait of the soul of small town America. It reminded me a lot of Olive Kitteridge in the way it was structured.

Lucy Barton is a well known writer who grew up in extreme poverty in an ostracized family in the farming community of Amgash, Illinois. The stories in this book reference Lucy, even if it's just a sentence or two. They also piece together a picture of Lucy's upbringing and and the painful dysfunction of the various characters.

If you are a fan of My Name Is Lucy Barton you will be happy to know an adult Lucy makes an appearance in one of the stories, where she takes a detour from her book tour to visit her brother and sister. They talk about their childhood and the pain it caused them.

Strout has a way of making you feel like you really know the people she creates. She makes us care about them and share her belief in the possibility of finding forgiveness and love, however imperfect. She is a excellent storyteller and even if you don't enjoy short stories, you cannot help but fall in love with the people in Amgash.