Agatha McGee, a tower of strength as Miles Pruitt's surrogate mother/landlady in Staggerford, takes the spotlight here. I like this old lady. How can anyone not like this feisty, intelligent, honorable, quick witted, reactionary-but-progressive, hot-tempered, indignant, pragmatic, nurturing old lady? This novel, like it's sequel Dear James, is very warm. There are certain writers that you can depend on to make you relax and smile. Jon Hassler, like Lee Smith, Ellen Gilchrist and Richard Russo, seems to be a writer that is completely in love with and charmed by his own characters. He's kind to them and it's a warmth that extends itself to the reader. I can't help but wish Agatha McGee had been my sixth grade teacher and taught me the Catechism. This is especially weird when you consider the fact that I'm Jewish and pretty much believe in secular education. I guess I must really like her a lot. When you feel like you hate everyone and you'd like to just grab a gun and blow people away, pick up this book instead and save yourself some prison time.