As you can see, I’ve made only the tiniest smidgen of progress on the neckband of this sweater. I’ve just been doing too much writing and too much reading and not enough knitting lately – what can I say?

The book is Ella Leffland’s Rumors of Peace. It’s a World War II-era coming of age story set in an East Bay city very similar to the one where my dad grew up a decade or so after this book’s protagonist. I saw this book when Jill and I were at Rakestraw Books in Danville last year, but for some reason I didn’t buy it. I kept thinking about it, though, and a few months ago I ordered it from Amazon. I read a few chapters, was amazed at how good it was and ashamed that I had never heard of its author. I then ordered all of her other titles – she has four other books, all out of print – from Amazon’s used book service. Somewhere along the line, though, I never read beyond those first few chapters – until this week. I am enjoying the beginning of this novel even more on my second time through.

Apparently Ella Leffland still lives in San Francisco. I want to meet her someday and interview her for the blog. I also want her to marry my dad.

Yarn Along is hosted by Ginny on her blog, Small Things.