I Believe in Guardian Angels

Ninety-two-year-old Virginia Merrill tells her troubled but triumphant true story of growing up in early-twentieth-century Los Angeles in this absorbing memoir, I Believe in Guardian Angels. Virginia was born in 1915 and spent her childhood moving from place to place-one-room houses, boarding homes, and tiny apartments-with her mother and older brother. Her mother's teaching jobs took them from public to private schools, and Virginia soon learned the emotional danger and vulnerability in forming close relationships. The lack of intimate friends and a permanent home only contributed to Virginia's fragile stability. Despite her challenges, Virginia learned to excel at school and found a joyful release in writing short stories and poetry. She also discovered her guardian angels in the people around her. From the doctor who saved her life during the flu epidemic when she was only two years old to her third grade teacher, who devoted herself to helping Virginia learn her fractions, these "angels" made a lasting impact on Virginia's heart. I Believe in Guardian Angels reveals how Virginia learned to treasure each sunlit morning, appreciate every gesture of kindness, and love life in all its tainted glory.