MONIQUE CHAMBERLIN SPALDING

Niki lived across the hall from me in graduate school in the Radcliffe Graduate dorm on Ash Street. She introduced me, a country bumpkin, to all sorts of wondrous things, including Chinese restaurants and counter tenors! She had numerous suitors, and I often answered her phone to take messages. I liked some of the suitors better than others, one of whom, in my view, was a superficial snob. I had to remind others that they had better step up their game. She was a dear friend whose...

Lucienne, we met Thursday at Mount Auburn. As I read this beautiful tribute to your mother, she sounds so much like mine that had I known, we could have spent more time talking. You asked for books to help you through this time and mourning process, and I hope you found some. May you heal and find peace in knowing how lucky you were to have your wise, interesting and knowledgeable mother, and she did have a beautiful life with her interests and her family.