Like all collections, this one was a little spotty. On balance I adored it and the way it evoked my childhood, at least in parts. I thought Cain's piece was great, it was my favorite. Her name on the cover is what led me to pick the book up.I enjoyed seeing how these women, most of 'em born within 10 years of me, felt about their childhoods from the perspective of grown women. I'd like to see a follow-up, as this came out in 1999.