The words that Baldacci uses such as crumbling, and husky gives the description of the house a very rustic feel. Over all we percieve that the house not only is very old but it is authentic, hand made, possibly a little shabby and makeshift with all its ad-on's. We are given the description over all of the location being rural but homey at the same time.

Oz is named after Oscar Wilde. Oscar Wilde was an Irish poet and writer. Jack Cardinal was a writer so that is why he chose such name for Oz. Oscar Wilde was born on October 6, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. He attended Trinity college in Dublin. After graduating with an award, he attended Magdalen College in Oxford. After graduating, he moved to England to pursue his writing career. He wrote many plays and poems. He later died on November 30, 1900 in Paris, France

blackened by painting, lacquering or enamelling and is used as a support for a collodion photographic emulsion 

Drugget-a rug made of a coarse fabric having a cotton wrap and a wool filling

Brogans-a course, sout leather shoe reaching to the ankle

Corn liquor still-homemade alcohol

You should see Jack. How far he has come with his writing. It is absolutely amazing and his books are outstanding. He talks about moving to California to write for moves and television shows but I don't like that idea. He shouldn't have people telling him what he needs to write. He just wants a bigger salary i guess. Always wanting to give me and the kids the life we "deserve" but truth be told, we are content with the one we have. He talks about you a lot. About the mountains and how you and them shaped him as a character. I can tell he misses it up there. Talks about it a lot especially to the kids. Oh Louisa you should see the kids and how they have grown! Lou is just like her father. Oz is so young but I know he will grow up to be a kind soul. Maybe one day I won't have to write about them but instead you can see them yourself

With Love,

Amanda Cardinal

http://www.humanillnesses.com/original/Pan-Pre/Paralysis.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/paralysis.html

Asafoetida is a certain part of a tap root. It has a very pungent smell when raw but when cooked it is very palatable and tastes a bit like leeks. The species is native to Afghanistan. while it is used for cooking it is said to have many helpful medical applications such as fighting influenza infections.

Lou acts like she has absolutely given up hope for her mother recovering but really, deep inside she still has a little hope her mother will get better. She covers it up but I think she is hoping for the best but expecting the worse.

Silver dollars were first made in 1792 so yes it would be possible for Diamond to have a silver dollar from 1840. It may be worth 20 dollars but it seems a little bit much for a simple old silver dollar. It would be old and probably rusty. It wouldn't be worth that much money.

The city of dickens was a metropolis compared to the mountain. There was a freshly paved main street lined with shops and car dealerships. The people were all coal miners. There was also a business office full of happy workers eager to work for the coal companies. New York city was a lot like this as it was just as sprawling and prosperous. However, the city was much less quaint and a lot more crowded. The city also had a larger amount of polluted air from the factories.