Clara's Heart

"An impressive novel... Clara's Heart is notable precisely because of the risks Joseph Olshan has taken that do succeed, not the least of which is its sensitive and often comical treatment of the unique love between a precocious American boy and a wise if tormented Jamaican woman."
-"The New York Times Book Review"

David resents the presence of a Jamaican woman, whom his parents have brought into the household following the death of their baby daughter. But the indomitable Clara will take no nonsense and resentment turns into a shaky friendship -- and this friendship turns into a rare and powerful form of love in Joseph Olshan's award-winning, internationally-acclaimed first novel that became the popular film starring Whoopie Goldberg. Rough and loving, Clara introduces David to a world richly textured with legend and magic. He learns her patois and becomes an honorary member of her social circle, mainly consisting of the ladies of Blanche's Beauty Parlor in Brooklyn.

"With its intricate characterization, a plot that weaves together two very different cultures, and a narrative enriched by fresh, often poignant dialogue, this is an extraordinary first novel."
-"Publishers Weekly"