Additional books with a similar theme: http://product.half.ebay.com/The-Secret-Life-of-Bees_W0QQtgZdetailsQQprZ66641749 Peonie and Posey Lady.... You can purchase a used paperback copy of your book on half.com http://product.half.ebay.com/The-Queen-of-Palmyra_W0QQprZ74198854QQtgZinfo Summary of "The Queen of Palmyra" follows: "In the turbulent southern summer of 1963, Millwood's white population steers clear of "Shake Rag," the black section of town. Young Florence Forrest is one of the few who crosses the line. The daughter of a burial insurance salesman with dark secrets and the town's "cake lady," whose backcountry bootleg runs lead further and further away from a brutal marriage, Florence attaches herself to her grandparents' longtime maid, Zenie Johnson. Named for Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, Zenie treats the unwanted girl as just another chore, while telling her stories of the legendary queen's courage and cunning. The more time Florence spends in Shake Rag, the more she recognizes how completely race divides her town, and her story, far from ordinary, bears witness to the truth and brutality of her timesÂa truth brought to a shattering conclusion when Zenie's vibrant college-student niece, Eva Greene, arrives that fateful Mississippi summer. Minrose Gwin's The Queen of Palmyra is an unforgettable evocation of a time and a place in AmericaÂa nuanced, gripping story of race and identity."

Woodnymph, I also enjoyed it more than Angela's Ashes. That one, as I recall it now, at several years' distance, was truly grim, but there was a redeeming humor in "Glass Castle" that was missing in "Ashes." The fact that the parents were living according to their own ideals also made what their children had to bear seem (to me, at least) not quite so awful. I couldn't help smiling when I found that, even at the end of the book, they were still insisting on living their lives that way, and their daughter had come to terms with it. Sad, but it somehow left me feeling uplifted. I hope I haven't misremembered anything about it and made a stupid comment; it's been a few years since I had it from the library. Yes, it would make a very interesting movie! But perhaps not enough violent action and sex to sell well? (I am being cynical!)

If you are looking for books that discuss the origins of the naming of roses, you might consider these. A Rose by Any Name: The Little-Known and Deep-Rooted History of Rose Names by Douglas Brenner and Stephen Scanniello Women in my Rose Garden: The History, Romance, and Adventure of Old Roses by Ann Chapman and Paul Starosta Pink Ladies and Crimson Gents: Portraits and Legends of 50 Roses by Molly and Don Glentzer Naming the Rose: Discovering Who Roses Are Named For by Roger Mann The Women Behind the Roses: An Introduction to Alister Clark's Women Rose-Namesakes by Tilley and Andrew Govanstone All of these books discuss the people for whom roses are named. The first three can be purchased from Amazon. The fourth one can as well, but it has become incredibly expensive. The fifth one is not sold in the US, but can be ordered from Amazon UK. I bought my copy from the authors when they were doing a book tour in the United States. Two of the authors have some affiliation with the Antique Roses Forum. Back in the early days (1990's) Roger Mann was a frequent poster here. And Steven Scanniello shows up from time to time, not as much as he once did. Rosefolly

Wish I could delete because I thought to go through my Amazon purchases and found it. It's Spinning Jenny by McLain.