For Such As We Are Made Of, Such We Be

Book excerpt: "For Such As We Are Made of, Such We Be" portrays people beset with conflicts and choices destined to change their lives. Each story is unique. Finding themselves immersed in unexpected quandaries, the characters discover their inner resources to be deeper than they imagined. The stories address still-controversial moral issues, embracing recent progressive developments while remaining firmly rooted in a core value for loving commitment. Augusta Toomer's writing reflects the valuable perspective of a woman whose views have evolved over nearly a century lived in the deep South. As a committed Catholic, her frame of reference shifted during the civil rights movement of the 1950's, shifted again in the 1960's Vatican II sea change, and again in the 1980's when she became an ally to the gay community during the AIDS crisis. Her stories both charm and challenge the reader, presenting a rare opportunity to see with the compassionate eyes of a progressive Southern woman who is 95 years old.