Connections
Angela Campbell Recommends...
Spilling Clarence by Anne Ursu

What would your life be like if you could suddenly remember everything that ever happened to you? I mean everything--from your first steps to your first love--do you think that would be a good thing? This is the premise of first-time novelist Anne Ursu's new novel, Spilling Clarence.

The small Minnesota town of Clarence is divided: on one side is the prominent Mansfield University that yields the rich and intellectual residents; on the other side of town are the factory workers from the psycho-pharmaceutical plant which produces mind-altering drugs for people with psychological problems. The town is a typical "white-collar vs. blue-collar" Midwestern atmosphere.

A professor at Mansfield, Bernie Singer, and his nine-year old daughter, Sophie, are patronizing the Davis & Dean coffee shop/bookstore the day tragedy strikes Clarence. As they are reading their books, the town air raid siren rings and yellow smoke starts pouring from the factory. The radio reports there has been a "chemical spill" (even though the chemicals were rising in the air), and that everyone should remain indoors for at least 24 hours. As town and company officials announce, "Nothing to worry about, the smoke will clear soon," residents are skeptical.

After "The Spill," strange things start to happen in Clarence. Speculation by corporate gurus is that a chemical compound called "Deletrium" spilled into the air. Deletrium is normally combined with other psychoactive drugs, so the only side-effect is that it should make Clarence a "happy-town," (or so the executives think). Of course, citizens are never told of this and they are subjected to reliving their memories, and not just the "happy" ones. Each person is affected differently--older people are affected the most because they have the most memories. Younger people, like Sophie, end up taking care of the elders.

A brief description of this novel does not do it justice. It is actually quite humorous. Along with Bernie and Sophie, there is a cast of characters who are loveable Midwesterners--including Bernie's mom, Madeleine, a well-known novelist; Madeleine's new "manfriend," Calvin, from the Sunny Shades Elegant Living Retirement Community; and Susannah, the young woman who moved to Clarence to be with her boyfriend, only to end up finding herself. As with any small town community, everyone knows everyone--i.e., everyone knows everything about everyone. Multi-generations of families and friends (and foes) live in Clarence, so imagine what remembering everything that ever happened can do in a setting such as this!

Hopefully, during the holiday hustle and bustle, you will have a chance to read this novel and gain insight into the true meanings of memories and nostalgia. And maybe you can find out an answer to the question, "Without love, what are our memories?"