{"title":"Maxine Clair","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to our collection of works by the talented Maxine Clair, whose storytelling prowess offers a mesmerising journey through the nuances of everyday life. Maxine Clair is celebrated for her keen ability to weave intricate narratives filled with rich detail and compelling characters that resonate deeply with readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of her most acclaimed works, \u003cem\u003eRattlebone\u003c\/em\u003e, is a masterclass in storytelling, set in the fictional African-American community of Rattlebone, Kansas, during the 1950s. Through a series of interlinked stories, Clair vividly brings to life the experiences, challenges, and dreams of her characters, offering a poignant reflection on community, identity, and belonging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMaxine Clair's writing is marked by its lyrical prose and perceptive insights into the human condition, making her books cherished additions to any literary collection. Her distinctive voice and ability to capture the essence of her characters make her works a must-read for anyone who appreciates thoughtful and engaging fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExplore our selection of Maxine Clair's books to experience the incredible depth and nuance of her storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"rattlebone-by-maxine-clair-9781914198465","title":"Rattlebone","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'If you've ever tasted the after-rain clay dirt on a Kansas summer afternoon, or if you've ever secretly wanted to, you may understand why I was often tempted to eat a stick of chalk. It held the smell of that clay dirt.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIrene Wilson knows that a 'no-name invisible something' has settled over her parents' marriage and suspects her glamorous new teacher is to blame. Irene is not alone in her suspicions. In the town of \u003cem\u003eRattlebone\u003c\/em\u003e, a small Black neighbourhood of Kansas City, secrets are hard to keep and growing up is a community affair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs Irene is initiated into adult passion and loss, her family story takes its place in a tightly woven tapestry of individuals whose griefs and joys are as vivid as her own. Through the strong smells of manure and bacon wafting downriver from the stockyards, roadhouses playing the latest jazz, and radios at Union Hall broadcasting warnings to the low-lying communities along the rivers, Clair has captured an entire world through the eyes of its unforgettable heroine. \u003cem\u003eRattlebone\u003c\/em\u003e is a one-of-a-kind triumph of American fiction, for fans of Daphne Palasi Andreades' \u003cem\u003eBrown Girls\u003c\/em\u003e and Jamaica Kincaid's \u003cem\u003eAnnie John.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46551150788844,"sku":"9781914198465","price":23.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14653143482869.jpg?v=1749991972"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/maxine-clair.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}