Evvy Hoffmeister is thirteen years old when her family brings her to
Loon Lake Sanatorium to get cured of tuberculosis (TB). Evvy is
frightened by her new surroundings; the rules to abide are harsh and the
nurses equally rigid. But Evvy soon falls into step with the other girls
in her ward. There's Sarah, quiet but thoughtful; Pearl, who adores
Hollywood glamour; and Dina, whose harshness conceals a deep strength.
Together, the girls brave the difficult daily routines. Set in 1940 at a
time of political unrest throughout the U.S. and Europe, this
thought-provoking novel sheds light on a much-feared worldwide illness.
Hundreds of thousands of people died each year of TB, and many ill
children were sent away to sanatoriums to hopefully recover.
Marsha Hayles' Breathing Room is a masterful novel--both eloquent and
moving--that gives voice to those who fought hard to overcome the
illness.