Nobody's Fault by Patricia Hermes
What happens when two differently gendered playwrights from distinct cultures investigate racism, misogyny, and miscegenation in a small 1960s mill town? Talker's Town by Nelson Gray and The Girl Who Swam Forever by Marie Clements are two one-act plays that portray identical characters and action, but from entirely different perspectives in terms of gender and culture. The action in both involves an indigenous girl who escapes from a residential school and hides out by the river. In Talker's Town, the story is conveyed by a young non-native boy whose friend has had a relationship with the girl and whose attempts to hush up the affair lead to disastrous consequences. In The Girl Who Swam Forever, the action unfolds from the perspective of the indigenous girl, who - to claim her past and secure her future - must undergo a shape-shifting transformation to meet her grandmother's ancestral spirit in the form of a hundred-year-old sturgeon. Employing a single setting and working from the same set of characters, the playwrights have created two radically different fictional worlds, one native and one non-native. Published together, the plays form a fascinating dyptich, revealing rifts between indigenous and colonial/settler histories and providing a vehicle for cultural exchange.
Patricia Hermes was born in 1936 in Brooklyn, New York. An avid reader, she had time to practice both reading and writing when she came down with rheumatic fever, which left her stuck in bed for months. Hermes majored in speech and English at St. John's University, and taught junior high school English and social studies before taking time off to raise her five children. Returning to teaching after a number of years, she found it less satisfying than she'd remembered, and decided to try her hand at writing for publication. She took a class in writing nonfiction for adults; the teacher, Russell Freedman, would go on to win the Newbery Medal.
After publishing some articles, Hermes found the niche she'd been looking for: her first novel for young readers, What If They Knew?, was published in 1980. Hermes gave the main character in the book epilepsy, a problem she had dealt with herself as a child. Readers responded well to the believable situation, and over the years Hermes has continued to write stories featuring youngsters in difficult situations, so that readers can turn to her books knowing they are not alone. She has written more than 20 books for children and young adults.
Patricia Hermes lives in Connecticut, where she spends four hours of the day writing and the rest editing her work and answering letters. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading, running, music, traveling, horseback riding, and playing the piano.
After publishing some articles, Hermes found the niche she'd been looking for: her first novel for young readers, What If They Knew?, was published in 1980. Hermes gave the main character in the book epilepsy, a problem she had dealt with herself as a child. Readers responded well to the believable situation, and over the years Hermes has continued to write stories featuring youngsters in difficult situations, so that readers can turn to her books knowing they are not alone. She has written more than 20 books for children and young adults.
Patricia Hermes lives in Connecticut, where she spends four hours of the day writing and the rest editing her work and answering letters. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading, running, music, traveling, horseback riding, and playing the piano.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780440465232 |
| ISBN 10 | 0440465230 |
| Title | Nobody's Fault |
| Author | Patricia Hermes |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Yearling Books |
| Year published | 1983-01-15 |
| Number of pages | 107 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |