IN MY OWN TIME

The affecting memoir of a born storyteller. Written with novelistic zest and peopled with strong, well-delineated characters, Bawden (The Real Plato Jones, 1993, etc.) ably demonstrates the origins, orientation, and latitudes of her craft''a solitary occupation.'' Bawden's father, a merchant seaman, was away for most of her childhood. She lived with seven different families as an evacuee during WW II; this and her summer job as a temporary letter carrier drew her into the lives of many. A keen observer always, no experience or sensation was wasted; readers will find the roots of such exceptional novels as Carrie's War in these years. The many passages Bawden devotes to her family are memorable: Those involving the struggles of her oldest son Nikki, a schizophrenic who committed suicide, powerfully resonate. Bawden's observationsrestrained, expressive, often movingwill be best appreciated by those who share her love for the written word and by readers still not sated by her many fine books. (b&w photos) (Biography. Ages 14+)