Marn had the ability to laugh and cry at the same time. Motherless at seven and brought up in a house marked by alcohol and neglect, she eventually found herself raising three young daughters as a single mother in the 1940s, living on not much more than her wits and ingenuity. Still, she was somehow able to quickly size up her circumstances and make the best of them. Throughout her life, she encountered much hardship, but also adventure, love and fun. Always fun.

This is an engaging and moving portrait that traces one woman's journey through a life both heartbreaking and heartwarming. A colorful, charismatic figure, Marnie lived life in such a manner as to provide us all with a way to look at our own worlds anew. Her triumph over adversity reminds us of what matters most.

Marn did what she had to do, and rose to every occasion. You will wish you could meet her. You will feel like you know her. You will laugh and cry at the same time.

About the Author

Kim Harris Stowell was raised in Connecticut, and received her B.A. from Boston University, where she studied philosophy. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island, dividing her time between work as a freelance writer and editor, and the community activism that has always been a part of her life. She has a plan for world peace.

When she is not writing or building community, Kim can be found tending her beloved bonsai trees. (She is too embarrassed to admit to the number of trees she currently has in her care.) This is probably the only book she will ever write.