Five Minutes in Heaven

Book excerpt: A wise and funny novel about the kind of love that extends beyond boundaries—within this world and into the next Raised in the Tennessee hills in the 1950s by a widower father, Jude grows into a young woman who finds her soul mate in her new neighbor Molly. But when age and social convention intervene, she must find a new person to entrust with her heart. Venturing north to pursue all that ’60s New York has to offer, Jude finds comfort in her childhood pal Sandy, a man now in the midst of his own metamorphosis. Will she give her love to Sandy, or will the attractive and mysterious poet Anna be her true match? With an endearing heroine and a keen understanding of the human condition, Alther’s smart and captivating tale considers how changing views on what it means to love—and be loved—can alter lives. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Lisa Alther, including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.