A review by janetlun
Nothing but a Smile by Steve Amick

I really enjoyed Amick's first novel, "The Lake, the River & the Other Lake", so I picked this up, too. The setting couldn't be more different -- from the Upper Peninsula in 2001 to Chicago as WWII is ending -- but they both have the same virtues. While plot is definitely happening, the book is character driven, and rich with a sense of place. Though his settings are middleclass Midwestern, he always has an edge. In this book, it's clear that being a woman in the 40s isn't easy, and the early stirrings of the HUAC are disturbing.