Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

To say that the title of this entry intrigued me would be an understatement. Actually, the title is derived from the old, familiar expression , "you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar."

This is the story of Kate Battista, daughter of a research scientist, sister of Bunny and in general a young woman with no sense of direction in her life. Her mother died when she was just a child and the care and upbringing of her younger sister is left entirely to her. In addition, she has the added responsiblity of cooking, cleaning and performing other assorted chores of the household. It appears that her family members do not fully appreciate the value of her contributions to their wellness.

Her father faces an immigration predicament with his research assistant. The young man has just about exhausted the length of his visa and the professor must come up with another way to lengthen his stay. The professor is very experienced when it comes to the art of manipulation much to the chagrin of his youngest daughter.

A light-hearted quasi romantic tale with a surprise ending.

Ladybookbug!