I Lock My Door Upon MyselfOriginally published in 1990, I Lock My Door Upon Myself is the story of Calla, a beautiful, flame-haired, willful girl living in rural upstate New York in the early years of the 20th century. At 17, Calla is married off to a coarse local farmer. Her chance encounter with an itinerant black water-dowser leads to a passionate, obsessive, and doomed love affair, from which she emerges a celibate recluse. Written in a painterly style that is utterly compelling, this compact yet powerful novel is perfect for anyone wishing to step into the hypnotic fictional world of Joyce Carol Oates. "A poetic ballad of love and death and martyrdom in a turn-of-the-century small town ..."--The New York Times. |
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