Like A Complete Unknown

A luminous novel about freedom, persistence, and the power of compassion.



In 1970, a girl's life is not her own. Katya Warshawsky runs away from home rather than settle for the narrow life her parents demand of her. She revels in Chicago's counterculture, plunging into anti-war protests, communal living, and new liberties. But even in this free-wheeling world, she confronts bewildering obstacles. Still, she won't relinquish her dream of becoming an artist or her belief in a better world, and turns to Robert Lewis, hoping the old doctor will have answers.



Robert finds her in his office, barefoot and creating an evocative portrait of his late wife. Eager to help this naive waif, he worries when she vanishes before he has the chance. His years of practice have shown him the dangers that await a girl like Katya and he ventures into unfamiliar streets in search of her. Katya's situation grows more perilous as she struggles to get her bearings and rescue herself, while Robert, aided by a cunning draft-dodger and a sympathetic waitress, confronts new moral dilemmas.



Fans of Anne Tyler and Elizabeth Berg will love this deeply felt and compelling story of redemption that echoes our own complex social times.