THE ANTIC YEARS

Claudia, who immortalized immaturity in the earlier books, is now 30, 12 years married, and off to Europe with David, the faithful Bertha, and the two youngsters for a vacation which Julia and Hartley's death (and money) has made possible. Still young at heart, Claudia has new life experiences to face: seasickness; her first drinks; jealousy of Linda Harwell- on shipboard, then of another woman once in England; apprehension over David's non-appearance; a trip to the Continent and a short dream of David's retirement to a farm in Aix- until they are called home..... It is all reassuringly unchanged and familiar, and Claudia is still growing up for that audience (not to be minimized) which has not outgrown her.