Ok, I need to start by saying I totally got screwed on this book. For any who may not know me or my proclivities, I'm absolutely maniacal when it comes to going in blind on anything enterainment based. In locating the image of this book for this site, I went to amazon and while obtaining it read one sentence of some verbiage in the content area. Wouldn't you know that this one sentence was a 'describe this book in thirty words or less making sure to ruin the ending' kind of sentence. I was absolutely raving. Raving, but not mad in the sense that I'd let the ridiculously foolish act of one person deny me a story written by a woman named Carson. Historically I've not been a fan a female novelist, nothing sexist here, I just can better relate to the prattling-ons of my fellow tripods, but was very impressed with this Carson's Stienbeckian storytelling and eye for the pedestrian. She painted some memorable instances of freaks in an age before my own. Freaks have come a long way. And, thanks for the text and reccomendation Buddy James.