Friday, November 1, 2013

The maid’s version, by Daniel Woodrell



What exactly happened back in 1929 when the dance hall in West Table, Missouri, exploded and burned, killing 42 of the small town’s residents?  There are many versions, but no one completely accepted explanation.  In 1965, Alek Dunahew spends the summer with his grandmother, Alma, who had been a maid in one of the prominent families’ homes and whose vivid and popular sister, Ruby was one of those killed.  Over the course of this short, tight book, we learn the various theories and perhaps the ultimate answer.  Based on a true occurrence in the Ozarks, Woodrell once again uses the location he knows so well and the people he seems to understand so well to create an effective and affecting story.  164 pp.

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