Drawing the Line

Literary Nonfiction. Memoir. Women's Studies. DRAWING THE LINE is the story of personal adventure and redemption, tracing a life lived continually on the edge between chaos and harmony, tragedy and joy. Beyond her recounting of extraordinary places and events, Susan Gardner gives us a perceptive, generational voice. She recalls pivotal decades of societal change and touches on basic themes of human experience that are universal and timeless. Spanning six decades and various countries of East Asia, Europe and Mexico, it tells of a precocious child driven to excel and to escape a turbulent, combative home life. We experience the struggles and accomplishments of a uniquely gifted woman as she overcomes official strictures and domestic discord to become an accomplished artist. Ultimately, we see her break free of old patterns and constraints to live the joyous complexity of personal fulfillment and the promise of a new beginning.