Iturnedandfacedtheroadwe’dcomedown,myfacehardandset.Thekidsmovedonwithoutme.Icouldstillseeaslightglowandthemurky,graysmokereachingabovethetrees,whereitspreadtothesouth....WhenIthoughttheywereoutofearshot,Itookadeepbreath.Youliedtome,Iwhisperedtowardthebuilding,toallthepeopleitrepresented,tothehoursI’dspentonthosehard,split-logseats,andtomychildishepiphaniesbornthere....Youlied,Isaid.Thesearemybestfriendsnow.Rareisthegiftofawriterwhoisabletoconjureupthevoicesofverydifferentworlds,togivethemheatandpowerandmakethemsing.SuchisthetalentofNancyE.Turner.Herbelovedfirstnovel,TheseIsMyWords,openedreaderstothechallengesofawoman’slifeinthenineteenth-centurySouthwest.Nowthisextraordinarywritershiftshergazetoaverydifferentworld--EastTexasintheyearsoftheSecondWorldWar--andtothelifeofayoungwomannamedPhiladelphiaSummers,knownagainstherwillasFrosty.Fromthenovel’sharrowingopeningscene,Frosty’seyessurveythelandscapearoundher--whiteruralAmerica--withtheawestruckclarityofaninnocentburnedbysin.Inhermotherandsisterssheseesfearandsmall-mindedness;intheeyesoflocalboyssheseesracialhatredandhungerforwar.Whenthatwarfinallycomes,itoffersherachanceforescape-toCalifornia,andthecaringarmsofGordonBenallyaNative-Americansoldier.ButwhenshereturnstoTexasshemustfacetherejectionofatownstillgrippedbysuspicion--andconfrontthememoryofthecrimethathasmarkedhersoulsinceadolescence.Propelledbythequietpowerofonewoman’svoice,TheWaterandtheBloodisamovingandunforgettableportraitofanAmericaofhauntedwomenanddangerousfools--anAmericaatoncelongperishedandwithusstill.
