On Bittersweet Place

Lena Czernitski is coming of age in Chicago in the 1920s. Bittersweet Place is her neighborhood, but it also describes where the characters are in their emotional lives. While Lena experiences joy and familial love, she faces her share of trials including growing up in a world that actively discriminates against Jews. Lena faces the normal hurdles of childhood—making friends, confronting bullies at school, finding first love—but she also copes with serious issues no child should face. She is molested by an uncle, there is an arson at her family's laundry, and she is unfairly targeted by a teacher. Lesa Lockford expertly captures the voice of Lena as she moves through adolescence into adulthood, from an unsure girl afraid she will never speak unaccented English to a confident, successful woman. Wineberg's (Second Language) quintessential American story of belonging, family life, heritage, and pursuing the American dream will resonant with listeners.