There is little about the childhood of a girl from a somewhat wealthy home, growing up in Pittsburgh that would normally be thought of as interesting or original enough to be written about. In An American Childhood, Annie Dillard has not only explored this subject in detail, but actually managed to make it funny and insightful as well.

An American Childhood features a number of essays about Dillard's childhood assembled loosely in chronological order. There is little of what one would typically expect to find in a book growing up; Dillard never confronts any concern over her popularity or grades and does not get caught up in any of the typical adventures of a child in a book of the same theme. Dillard's adventures occur mostly in the books she reads or the area of Pittsburgh immediately surrounding her home. One of her greatest "adventures" occurs in her own bedroom. Dillard, terrified of a monster she is convinced visits her bedroom every night, eventually defeats the monster by increasing her awareness of the world around her. Dillard describes lying petrified in her bed, scarcely breathing, because some "transparent, luminous oblo

to the truths of the world around her, Dillard discovers the entity she had been so afraid of was nothing but a car's headlights.

ng . . . with a head and a tail, like a Chinese dragon" (20) danced across the walls of her room. Later, in a beautifully constructed metaphor for childhood and awakening !

aby was a present for her. Obviously, her mother's tactics worked because this leads into one of Dillard's long descriptions, this time on why she loved her sister so much. This section does a wonderful job of producing a harsh contrast between her responses to her two sisters. As in other sections of the book, Dillard uses a playful yet resourceful writing style to create effect: a touching and vibrant memory of her love for her sister. The experience of hating (and loving) one's siblings is certainly a common one, as is the idea that in childhood, one's entire attitude can be changed quickly and easily by the words of a mother. By using such a common experience, Dillard manages to reach a wide range of people, and her use of wit put a humorous spin on a topic that is not particularly original.

This book is certainly an amusing and engrossing read for almost anyone of any age. Although some parts may prove a li

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Approximate Word count = 828
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)