Ernie's Ark

Ernie’s Ark

by Monica Wood
Wood’s touching collection centers on Abbot Falls, a fictional Maine town economically dependent on a paper mill whose workers are on strike. Limning the intertwined lives of a small number of characters, the stories offer glimpses into the pivotal events of their lives. Ernie, whose retirement fund is tied up by the strike, builds a sculpture that gives meaning to his wife’s last days. After being attacked by angry workers, mill owner Henry grows closer to his daughter. Brothers Danny and Timmy, torn apart by Timmy’s willingness to scab, finally come to understand each other. Student Francine, who idolizes Jesse Jackson, keeps her father’s infidelity a secret to preserve the family. Young Kenny inherits a cabin from his uncle, briefly tries imitating his hero, Thoreau, and grows closer to his sister and stepmother. James, a bad father and worse son, comes to his senses when a woman who once held his mother hostage attends her funeral. These quirky stories reaffirm faith in human resi…