Come on in and join the knitting circle - it might just save your life... Spinning yarns, weaving tales, mending lives... Every Wednesday a group of women gathers at Alice's Sit and Knit. Little do they know that they will learn so much more than patterns... Grieving Maryneeds to fill the empty days after the death of her only child. Glamorous Scarletis the life and soul of any party. But beneath her trademark red hair and beaming smile lurks heartache. Sculptor Luluseems too cool to live in the suburbs. Why has she fled New York's bright lights? Model housewife Bethnever has a hair out of place. But her perfect world is about to fall apart.... Irish-born Ellenwears the weight of the world on her shoulders but not her heart on her sleeve. What is she hiding? As the weeks go by, under mysterious Alice's watchful eye, an unlikely friendship forms. Secrets are revealed and pacts made. Then tragedy strikes, and each woman must learn to face her own past in order to move on... This heartbreaking and uplifting novel is the perfect book club read, for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Keeper of Lost Things Praise for Ann Hood 'A heartbreaker' Vanity Fair 'An engrossing storyteller ... [This book] works its magic.' Sue Monk Kidd, author of The Secret Life of Bees 'What a gift for Ann Hood, who suffered a loss nearly identical to Mary Baxter's, to have made of her grief.' Newsday 'Memorably stirring and authentic.' Los Angeles Times Book Review 'Ann Hood writes with the ease of a born storyteller.' Chicago Tribune 'Just like a woolly jumper, this book is cosy and perfect for long winter nights! ... truly heartwarming.' Closer

In 1978, in the tailwind of the golden age of air travel, flight attendants were the epitome of glamour and sophistication. Fresh out of college and hungry to experience the world—and maybe, one day, write about it—Ann Hood joined their ranks. After a gruelling job search, Hood survived TWA’s rigorous Breech Training Academy and learned to evacuate seven kinds of aircraft, deliver a baby, mix proper cocktails, administer oxygen and stay calm no matter what the situation. In the air, Hood found both the adventure she’d dreamt of and the unexpected realities of life on the job. She carved chateaubriand in the first-class cabin and dined in front of the pyramids in Cairo, fended off passengers’ advances and found romance on layovers in London and Lisbon, and walked more than a million miles in high heels. She flew through the start of deregulation, an oil crisis, massive furloughs and a labour strike. As the airline industry changed around her, Hood began to write—even drafting snatches of her first novel from the jump-seat. She reveals how the job empowered her, despite its roots in sexist standards. Packed with funny, moving and shocking stories of life as a flight attendant, Fly Girl captures the nostalgia and magic of air travel at its height, and the thrill that remains with every take-off.

On the day John F. Kennedy is inaugurated, Claire, an uncompromising young wife and mother obsessed with the glamour of Jackie O, struggles over the decision of whether to stay in a loveless marriage or follow the man she loves and whose baby she may be carrying. Decades earlier, in 1919, Vivien Lowe, an obituary writer, is searching for her lover who disappeared in the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. By telling the stories of the dead, Vivien not only helps others cope with their grief but also begins to understand the devastation of her own terrible loss. The surprising connection between Claire and Vivien will change the life of one of them in unexpected and extraordinary ways. Part literary mystery and part love story, The Obituary Writer examines expectations of marriage and love, the roles of wives and mothers, and the emotions of grief, regret, and hope.

In Knitting Pearls, two-dozen writers write about the transformative and healing powers of knitting. Jodi Picoult remembers her grandmother and how through knitting she felt that everlasting love. Lily King remembers the year her family lived in Italy and a knitted hat that helped her daughter adjust to her new home. Laura Lippman explores how converting to Judaism changed not only Christmas but also her mother's gift of a knitted stocking. And Bill Roorbach remembers his first year at college when knitting soothed his broken heart and helped him fall in love again. Other contributors include Steve Almond, Jane Hamilton, Ann Leary, Nick Flynn, Lee Woodruff and knitting rock stars Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed and the Yarn Whisperer, Clara Parks.

The impressive collection of writers here have contributed essays that celebrate knitting and knitters. They share their knitting triumphs and disasters as well as their life triumphs and disasters. . . . These essays will break your heart. They will have you laughing out loud. Ann Hood, from the introduction

Why does knitting occupy a place in the hearts of so many writers? What s so magical and transformative about yarn and needles? How does knitting help us get through life-changing events and inspire joy? In Knitting Yarns, twenty-seven writers tell stories about how knitting healed, challenged, or helped them to grow. Barbara Kingsolver describes sheering a sheep for yarn. Elizabeth Berg writes about her frustration at failing to knit. Ann Patchett traces her life through her knitting, writing about the scarf that knits together the women she s loved and lost. Knitting a Christmas gift for his blind aunt helped Andre Dubus III knit an understanding with his girlfriend. Kaylie Jones finds the woman who used knitting to help raise her in France and heals old wounds. Sue Grafton writes about her passion for knitting. Also included are five original knitting patterns created by Helen Bingham.

Poignant, funny, and moving, Knitting Yarns is sure to delight knitting enthusiasts and lovers of literature alike."

From childhood to singledom, raising a family, divorce and marriage to Michael Ruhlman, Ann Hood has long appreciated the power of a good meal. Growing up, she tasted love in her grandmother's tomato sauce and dreamed of her mother's Fancy Lady Sandwiches. Hood cooked roast pork to warm her first apartment, found hope in her daughter's omelette and fell in love-with her husband and his chicken stock. Hood tracks her lifelong journey in the kitchen with twenty-seven essays, each accompanied by a recipe (or a few). In "Carbonara Quest", searching for the perfect spaghetti helped her cope with lonely nights as a flight attendant. In the award-winning "The Golden Silver Palate", she recounts the history of her fail-safe dinner party recipe for Chicken Marbella and how it failed her. Hood's simple, comforting recipes include meatballs, Beef Stew, Fried Chicken, grilled cheese and a peach pie.

After the sudden loss of her only child, Mary Baxter joins a knitting circle in Providence, Rhode Island, as a way to fill the empty hours and lonely days. The women welcome her, each teaching Mary a new knitting technique and, as they do, revealing their own personal stories of loss, love, and hope. Eventually Mary is able to tell her own story of grief and in so doing reclaims her love for her husband, faces the hard truths about her relationship with her mother, and finds the spark of life again.

"In China there is a belief that people who are destined to be together are connected by an invisible red thread. Who is at the end of your red thread?" After losing her infant daughter in a freak accident, Maya Lange opens The Red Thread, an adoption agency that specializes in placing baby girls from China with American families. Maya finds some comfort in her work, until a group of six couples share their personal stories of their desire for a child. Their painful and courageous journey toward adoption forces her to confront the lost daughter of her past. Brilliantly braiding together the stories of Chinese birth mothers who give up their daughters, Ann Hood writes a moving and beautifully told novel of fate and the red thread that binds these characters' lives. Heartrending and wise, The Red Thread is a stirring portrait of unforgettable love and yearning for a baby.

In Knitting Pearls, two-dozen writers write about the transformative and healing powers of knitting. Jodi Picoult remembers her grandmother and how through knitting she felt that everlasting love. Lily King remembers the year her family lived in Italy and a knitted hat that helped her daughter adjust to her new home. Laura Lippman explores how converting to Judaism changed not only Christmas but also her mother's gift of a knitted stocking. And Bill Roorbach remembers his first year at college when knitting soothed his broken heart and helped him fall in love again. Other contributors include Steve Almond, Jane Hamilton, Ann Leary, Nick Flynn, Lee Woodruff and knitting rock stars Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed and the Yarn Whisperer, Clara Parks.

In her admired works of fiction, Ann Hood explores the transformative power of literature. Now, with warmth and honesty, Hood reveals the personal story behind these works of fiction. Growing up in a household that didn't foster the love of literature, Hood channelled her imagination and curiosity by devouring The Bell Jar, Marjorie Morningstar, The Harrad Experiment and other works. These titles introduced her to topics that could not be discussed at home: desire, fear, sexuality and madness. Later, Johnny Got His Gun and The Grapes of Wrath influenced her political thinking and Dr. Zhivago and Les Miserables stoked her ambition to travel the world. With characteristic insight and charm, Hood showcases the ways in which books gave her life and can transform-even save-our own.

From childhood to singledom, raising a family, divorce and marriage to Michael Ruhlman, Ann Hood has long appreciated the power of a good meal. Growing up, she tasted love in her grandmother's tomato sauce and dreamed of her mother's Fancy Lady Sandwiches. Hood cooked roast pork to warm her first apartment, found hope in her daughter's omelette and fell in love-with her husband and his chicken stock. Hood tracks her lifelong journey in the kitchen with twenty-seven essays, each accompanied by a recipe (or a few). In "Carbonara Quest", searching for the perfect spaghetti helped her cope with lonely nights as a flight attendant. In the award-winning "The Golden Silver Palate", she recounts the history of her fail-safe dinner party recipe for Chicken Marbella and how it failed her. Hood's simple, comforting recipes include meatballs, Beef Stew, Fried Chicken, grilled cheese and a peach pie.

In 1978, in the tailwind of the golden age of air travel, flight attendants were the epitome of glamor and sophistication. Fresh out of college and hungry to experience the world-and maybe, one day, write about it-Ann Hood joined their ranks. After a grueling job search, Hood survived TWA's rigorous Breech Training Academy and learned to evacuate seven kinds of aircraft, deliver a baby, mix proper cocktails, administer oxygen, and stay calm no matter what the situation. In the air, Hood found both the adventure she'd dreamt of and the unexpected realities of life on the job. She carved chateaubriand in the first-class cabin and dined in front of the pyramids in Cairo, fended off passengers' advances and found romance on layovers in London and Lisbon, and walked more than a million miles in high heels. She flew through the start of deregulation, an oil crisis, massive furloughs, and a labor strike. As the airline industry changed around her, Hood began to write-even drafting snatches of her first novel from the jump-seat. She reveals how the job empowered her, despite its roots in sexist standards. Packed with funny, moving, and shocking stories of life as a flight attendant, Fly Girl captures the nostalgia and magic of air travel at its height, and the thrill that remains with every takeoff.

In her admired works of fiction, Ann Hood explores the transformative power of literature. Now, with warmth and honesty, Hood reveals the personal story behind these works of fiction. Growing up in a household that didn't foster the love of literature, Hood channelled her imagination and curiosity by devouring The Bell Jar, Marjorie Morningstar, The Harrad Experiment and other works. These titles introduced her to topics that could not be discussed at home: desire, fear, sexuality and madness. Later, Johnny Got His Gun and The Grapes of Wrath influenced her political thinking and Dr. Zhivago and Les Miserables stoked her ambition to travel the world. With characteristic insight and charm, Hood showcases the ways in which books gave her life and can transform-even save-our own.

Meet Clementine. She's quippy, sarcastic, and dramatic. And the overwhelming guilt of her sister's death weighs on her so heavily that she no longer feels like living. As Clementine and her mother attempt to continue their lives after Halley's death, the world around them changes. Clementine's best friend now feels like a stranger. Her new school is full of spoiled, carefree kids. She kisses boys just to feel something. She tries to live in the moment. But ultimately, Clementine feels trapped in a snow globe: the real world is out there, while she's stuck in a world where tears like gallons fall all around her. In her signature lyrical prose, Hood crafts an extraordinary story of grief and guilt, asking the important question: How can you find the will to live again in the face of overwhelming despair?

The impressive collection of writers here have contributed essays that celebrate knitting and knitters. They share their knitting triumphs and disasters as well as their life triumphs and disasters. . . . These essays will break your heart. They will have you laughing out loud. Ann Hood, from the introduction

Why does knitting occupy a place in the hearts of so many writers? What s so magical and transformative about yarn and needles? How does knitting help us get through life-changing events and inspire joy? In Knitting Yarns, twenty-seven writers tell stories about how knitting healed, challenged, or helped them to grow. Barbara Kingsolver describes sheering a sheep for yarn. Elizabeth Berg writes about her frustration at failing to knit. Ann Patchett traces her life through her knitting, writing about the scarf that knits together the women she s loved and lost. Knitting a Christmas gift for his blind aunt helped Andre Dubus III knit an understanding with his girlfriend. Kaylie Jones finds the woman who used knitting to help raise her in France and heals old wounds. Sue Grafton writes about her passion for knitting. Also included are five original knitting patterns created by Helen Bingham.

Poignant, funny, and moving, Knitting Yarns is sure to delight knitting enthusiasts and lovers of literature alike."

On the day John F. Kennedy is inaugurated, Claire, an uncompromising young wife and mother obsessed with the glamour of Jackie O, struggles over the decision of whether to stay in a loveless marriage or follow the man she loves and whose baby she may be carrying. Decades earlier, in 1919, Vivien Lowe, an obituary writer, is searching for her lover who disappeared in the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. By telling the stories of the dead, Vivien not only helps others cope with their grief but also begins to understand the devastation of her own terrible loss. The surprising connection between Claire and Vivien will change the life of one of them in unexpected and extraordinary ways. Part literary mystery and part love story, The Obituary Writer examines expectations of marriage and love, the roles of wives and mothers, and the emotions of grief, regret, and hope.

In 1969, as Peter, Paul and Mary croon on the radio and poster paints splash the latest antiwar slogans, three young friends find love. Suzanne, a poet, lives in a Maine beach house awaiting the birth of a child she will call Sparrow. Claudia, who weds a farmer during college, plans to raise three strong sons. Elizabeth and her husband marry, organize protests, and try to rear two children with their hippie values. By 1985, things have changed: Suzanne, now with an MBA, calls Sparrow "Susan." Claudia spirals backward into her sixties world and madness. And Elizabeth, fatally ill, watches despairingly as her children yearn for a split-level house and a gleaming station wagon. ?Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine? is Ann Hood's stunning debut novel about the choices we make when we are young, and the changes brought about by the passing of time."

Looking at her characters as if through a pair of binoculars, Ann Hood captures the extraordinary in the ordinary. A pregnant woman left by her husband cooks obsessively to cope with her loss, but never tastes a morsel. In an attempt to stay sober, a young alcoholic seduces her priest and embarks on a tour of caverns with him. An adolescent girl picks up bird-watching as a hobby and, in her newfound habit of observing others, discovers a budding romance between her mother and her neighbor. These stories, many published in "The Paris Review, Glimmer Train, Story," and "The Colorado Review," are full of characters seeking an escape from their lives while uncovering small moments of understanding that often have huge implications and consequences. They discover that they can only find peace once they stop searching for a way out. Through diverse voices and lively storytelling, Hood creates authentic, personal, secret worlds full of eccentric detail.

In 2002, Ann Hood's five-year-old daughter Grace died suddenly from a virulent form of strep throat. Stunned and devastated, the family searched for comfort in a time when none seemed possible. Hood-an accomplished novelist-was unable to read or write. She could only reflect on her lost daughter-"the way she looked splashing in the bathtub ... the way we sang 'Eight Days a Week.'" One day, a friend suggested she learn to knit. Knitting soothed her and gave her something to do. Eventually, she began to read and write again. A semblance of normalcy returned, but grief, in ever new and different forms, still held the family. What they could not know was that comfort would come, and in surprising ways. Hood traces her descent into grief and reveals how she found comfort and hope again-a journey to recovery that culminates with a newly adopted daughter.

College friends Lucy and Katherine reunite as adults—and build a new friendship as changed women Katherine shows up at Lucy’s Manhattan doorstep having run away from the marriage altar. Lucy isn’t thrilled to see her former sorority sister—her own life as a children’s book illustrator is complicated enough, especially as she may be falling out of love with her boyfriend. Along with Lucy’s oddball best friend, Julia, the women tackle the complicated challenge of being young, lost, and in search of life in New York City. Something Blue is a heartfelt but never sentimental modern classic, capturing three women on the verge of the future, still figuring out the past, and trying to solve the present all at once. A novel that addresses friendship, ambition, and love head on, Something Blue and its three heroines head in surprising directions in their search for meaning.

"In China there is a belief that people who are destined to be together are connected by an invisible red thread. Who is at the end of your red thread?" After losing her infant daughter in a freak accident, Maya Lange opens The Red Thread, an adoption agency that specializes in placing baby girls from China with American families. Maya finds some comfort in her work, until a group of six couples share their personal stories of their desire for a child. Their painful and courageous journey toward adoption forces her to confront the lost daughter of her past. Brilliantly braiding together the stories of Chinese birth mothers who give up their daughters, Ann Hood writes a moving and beautifully told novel of fate and the red thread that binds these characters' lives. Heartrending and wise, The Red Thread is a stirring portrait of unforgettable love and yearning for a baby.