the first thing I thought of was one of my favorite books.  “Ahab’s Wife, or The Star Gazer” by Sena Jeter Naslund.  The heroine of the story is Una Spenser.  She lived a life on her own terms and is a remarkably compelling character.  I haven’t read the book for years, but Una woke me up today.  I guess it’s time to reread…perhaps to my daughters over Christmas break.  I’ve been moving too fast—so it’s a good thing this message didn’t escape me.  If you’ve tried to read Moby Dick and couldn’t stick with it OR if you’re a big fan of Moby Dick then you will love Ahab’s Wife.  So many minds I respect have loved this book.