A Madison poet has completed his first novel, a wise and lyrical coming-of-age story about a young girl preserving in a life full of twists and turns. The book is already getting rave reviews across the country.
Dale Kushner’s novel, “The Conditions of Love,” focuses on Eunice, a girl with an absentee father, an irresponsible mother and a pet turtle, who must endure and overcome a lot despite her age.
Kusher said that she conceived the character of Eunice as she thought about people’s attempts to surviving emotional wreckage.
“One of the biggest themes in the book is about emotional survival,” Kushner said, “We’re all faced with how we negotiate difficult circumstances and keep our hearts open.”
She said the character of Eunice came into to her life to teach her what qualities enable us to survive despite bad beginnings. The name Eunice actually means “victory” in Greek -- a fact that Kushner said she didn’t learn until after the book was published.
The young character is bright, curious and headstrong, but she finds it difficult to make friends her own age. The people that do come into her life are often older, with life experiences that teach her lessons about navigating life’s obstacles. The book unfolds through three segments, each focusing on a relationship in her life.
Wisconsinites may be familiar with Kushner as the founder and director of The Writer’s Place, a literary center in Madison. She was also a recipient of a Wisconsin Arts Board Grant in the Literary Arts.
