A review by kittykornerlibrarian
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

5.0

I hesitate to label a book where much of the action takes place in 1984 as "historical fiction" but there's so much flashback to New York in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s that I feel justified in sticking to this. Lillian Boxfish, age 85 (depending on whether she's lying about her age) is spending her New Year's Eve on the one activity that makes her feel joy... walking around the streets of Manhattan. She looks back on her earlier self in a poignant way and her interactions with contemporary New Yorkers are fresh and engaging. Lillian's career in advertising and as a poet informs much of her past. I enjoy the verses that appear in the book. Now I want to find out much more about Margaret Fishback. I adored the voice of this strong, smart, funny woman.