The pain of adolescence and urban life

“The Storms of May”, a novel by Edward Hower

Listen to the program now
in RealAudio© format
(requires free RealAudio© player)

on WSKG Radio’s OFF THE PAGE April 19 at 1 & 7pm

           

The group-home is one of those institutions that attempts to fulfill the role of the family (which may be abusive or even non-existent) and combine it with the work of the mental health clinic, the parole officer, the tutor and the social worker. It can give stability and a second chance to a person with disabilities, or a criminal record, or a life in crisis. Residents sharing their problems and the constant presence of professional counselors can help individuals understand and move on from their previous condition – or at least bring their worries into the open. The group home is also a good setting for a novel.

“The Storms of May” takes place among the young women in a group home. They are ethnically mixed, emotionally brittle, and seem to be responding well to the attention of the couple operating the home, Ruth and Mike Sullivan. Mike is a painter and sculptor, Ruth had a troubled childhood (the entire novel is told in her voice). The two met while serving in the Peace Corps in Tanzania and their marriage is strained, despite their weekend getaways to a home in the Catskills. Now entering the group is another troubled – and mysterious – resident:

The group home is located in a city called Chester, NY (a fictionalized locale somewhere between The Bronx and Yonkers), that is racked by racial conflict and gang violence. “The Storms of May” rings true in its detail because author Edward Hower of Ithaca has worked as a counselor in a girls’ reformatory and, as an anthropologist, studied Los Angeles street gangs.

When May enters the home she upsets the fragile environment, especially when a romantic (and potentially beneficial) relationship blooms with a man named Paco, an ex-convict working with child protective services and trying mightily to go straight. All the women are attracted to Paco, including Ruth. Paco and May want to escape their troubled past and their harsh environment but the violence that intrudes on their daily lives finally overwhelms them. “The Storms of May” is a frank and tragic story.
Edward Hower will be Bill Jaker’s guest to tell about his experiences as author (this is his ninth book), folklorist, writing instructor at Ithaca College and a person who has covered the difficult ground that he tells about in “The Storms of May”. To ask a question or offer a comment, call during the 1:00 PM broadcast to 1-888/359-9754, post a question here or directly to wskg.radio@gmail.com.

The next OFF THE PAGE will be on Tuesday, May 17th. Melanie Randolph Miller tells about the early years of American diplomacy and the life of Gouverneur Morris in her new book “Envoy to the Terror”. Morris was U.S. minister to France during the bloody days of the American-inspired French Revolution and, Miller feels, hasn’t been sufficiently appreciated in our history.

Listen to the program now
in RealAudio© format
(requires free RealAudio© player)