This Is A First, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     With Elizabeth Strout's "Anything Is Possible," I now have done something I haven't, in my entire life.

                                         I read a book that I did not realize I had already read.

                                         Always, when I re-read a book, I have a special craving for it, or a need to revisit it, like I did this summer before viewing "Sharp Objects.'

                                           I never would have re-read "Anything Is Possible."  But I am happy to say, the book does hold up.

                                             Part of the reason lies in Strout's narrative technique, which is to interconnect characters and their stories.  As I hit certain details in this book--a man caught masturbating behind a barn, a sibling visit that turns sour, and results in the traumatized one having to be driven back to the security of the city, where she feels safe, and a sequence, which I cannot interpret as being real or hallucinatory, where a man of means goes backstage after a holiday performance of "A Christmas Carol." to retrieve the stuffed pony his granddaughter left, and converses with the embittered, gay actor, playing Scrooge, prior to the man's passing away--each struck me as familiar.  Had I read all this before?  Or was I just recalling things referenced in Strout' earlier books--"My Name Is Lucy Barton," and "Oliver Kitteridge"--which have a similar narrative flow?

                                                David kept telling me to check my book lists.  I was so mired in the book, fascinated both by the characters, the writing quality, and my own, personal mystery, that I could not be bothered, wanting to see things through, to the end.

                                                   Still, once done, I checked my lists, and--lo, and behold!-- I had read the book, in hardback; I recall taking it out of the library, last year in 2017!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                     Am I losing it, darlings?  Let's hope not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                     But I am telling you--the book holds up!  So it is worth reading, even if you haven't already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                       Or, like me, if you have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!