The letter left to me : a novel

McElroy writes from the perspective of an adolescent whose father has recently died, leaving him a legacy--a letter. His mother takes it out from an antique desk after the funeral and hands it to the 15-year-old boy. This letter is not printed in full in the novel, but its contents are occasionally quoted by family members, fellow mourners, distant relatives, and strangers. The contents of the letter are shared with fellow mourners, and then, when the boy enters college, shared with the entire freshman class. The youth responds not only to personal requests from his late father, but also to queries from friends and strangers. The author effectively related the boy's changing state of mind through corresponding changes in style. Foremost among the questions that arise in the boy's mind is the matter of ownership of the letter, and its link with identity. ISBN 0-394-57196-7: $16.95