Susan Hickenlooper

Castles of the Heart: My Mother's Story Susan Hickenlooper

Maxine Noe is a precocious child with a vivid imagination and a decided flair for the dramatic. They are traits that serve the young vagabond well, moving about as she does with her single mother during the 1920s. When her mother lands a job, in 1930, as a cook in a miners' hotel in a small, company owned mining camp, ten-year-old Maxine finds both the security she craves and the perfect backdrop for more adventure. Tucked away in Utah's "Castle Country"-so named because of the area's castle-like rock formations-the little town of Kenilworth was given its name by an early immigrant miner who saw in its rugged, towering outcrops the old and crumbling castle Kenilworth in his native England. The town's colorful history, magical setting, and diverse residents provide a rich environment for a young girl coming of age, and color as well the challenges, sorrows, and triumphs that shape the little town's life. This is a true story of hardship, tragedy, and love. The events of Maxine's young life portray both the fragility and tenacity of family; and the castle hills that shelter her nourish her dreams and steel her character for the challenges she will surely meet beyond their rugged walls.