This autobiographical novel , by an author whose career has covered thirty years and many genres (from westerns to psychological thrillers to spy novels (including the memorable "Shibumi" and the "Eiger Sanction"), begins in 1936. Jean-Luc, six years old, his little sister, and their spunky but vulnerable young mother have been left behind---again---by his father, a charming con artist whose promises never pan out. The family relocates in a climately-challenged apartment at 238 North Pearl Street, in a crowded neighborhood of working-class families and the eccentric women who gave the title to this fine novel. Jean-Luc gradually assumes responsibility for his family's survival, alternately resentful and brave, while his mother gravitates from periods of illness and depression to optimism that things will turn out all right. An unforgettable tale of one family's vicissitudes and joys.