Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with Recipes)

The first half of CHRONICLES stood out as one of those rare modern novels that you just want to go on reading forever. Then, thud, a predictable 3 year adulterous affair which the otherwise admirable Radical Hag Haze Evans actually tries to justify. This major lapse shows a stunning lack of character, not just for common morality, but because, if it had been revealed in her community, she would have destroyed her reputation and career as a journalist. And for good reason...she pretends that her dead husband would have approved her sleeping with her married boss! She feels that they deserve to have this forbidden love despite all the betrayals of family, friends, and readers! A public revelation would have destroyed her boss Bill McGrath's kind and generous wife, Eleanor, and maybe her suspicion of it helped to cause her cancer. Did this journalist want this affair to become known after her death? Likely yes, since she left the evidence in her office where any cleaning person or friend could find it. The mystery of why this highly intelligent woman would do this is never explained.n The book's great strength, along with a moving plot of provocative and fearless political columns and welcome humor, is that we care so deeply about the rest of the characters and the values expressed.