Every Inch of Her

Book excerpt: The sisters at the Good Shepherd Convent in Dublin’s North Wall don’t quite know what to make of their newest refugee. Philo announces herself at their door one Sunday evening with the words, “God pointed me here.” A large presence, weighing 240 pounds and bearing tattoos on her arm, Philo smokes, swears and loves to eat. She is also a mother of five and in flight from her abusive husband, Tommo. In no time at all, Philo has made herself indispensable. At the Senior Daycare Center, she gets the old folks talking to one another, singing old favorites, and playing bingo again. And with all the love she’s got to give, it’s only natural that Cap and Dina—two people at the Center long separated by a bitter feud—come together again. By turns comical and tender, Peter Sheridan’s novel is a beautifully written portrait of an unforgettable woman who touches every life she meets through the sheer force of being herself.