I wish I could say that I finished Ferry Woman's History of the World (Coteau) by Susan Andrews Grace on the ferry ride home, but I didn't. This is a wonderful book, full of Celtic history, the speaker's childhood, her confrontations with Jesus, and the matter of acquiring material comfort at the price of the soul.

In this very long poem or poetic novel, Andrews Grace fashions a cohesive story from fragments of perception, memory and dream. The result is a funny, beautifully written literal journey through one woman's life, with Andrews Grace managing to engage with the quest for heritage and the inevitable relationship with Ferry Woman, the kind of wise, witty, ageless guide that we could all use now and then.

The book is beautifully designed, and includes one of those lovely ribbon bookmarks.