The ceiling is so low, only the children around me are able to stand without hitting their heads on the underside of the deck" (Denenberg 23). The author makes the conditions very real for the reader, and has done a lot of research to make sure the book adequately represents the time in history. Because he spends a lot of time on research, you can be sure the material in the book is accurate too, and that things like dying at seventeen were common then, and so was working someone to death in the mills. Yes, I think this novel is a good representation of the time period it was written about, because it puts the reader right into the action, and helps them envision what Mary was experiencing. The author is very good at describing things so that they understand what was happening. For example, he writes, "Mill work suites me just fine, 'twas all I said. I didn't want her to know that my bones ache, my ankles swell up, and my body throbs from heat to toe at night" (Denenberg 79). Anyone...

It is well researched, too, which makes it more interesting to read, and helps paint a picture of American history. The author shows how hard it was just to survive in a world that was harsh and unrelenting, and he shows how strong people had to be to make something of their lives. He also shows how people had to hold on to hope and their sense of humor to make sense out of a world that seems crazy even today.
References

Denenberg, Barry. Dear America So far from Home. The Diary of Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill Girl. New York: Scholastic, 1997.