MEMOIRS OF A BOOK MOLESTING CHILDHOOD AND OTHER ESSAYS. Wiseman, Adele. Toronto, Oxford University Press, 1987. 200pp, paper, $13.95, ISBN 0-19-540637-0. CIP Adult/ Secondary Reviewed by Barbara J. Graham Volume 16 Number 5 1988 September Beginning with her youth, Adele Wiseman charms the reader with her first experiences with books and reading in the Depression. She notes her inability from an early age to separate "the act of reading from the acts of living." And this sets the tone for a series of intelligent, highly literate essays on a variety of topics from nostalgia for the passing of old ethnic markets to her special pride in Canada's women writers, what it means to be a writer in Canada, her early fascination with China and her real visit to China on a Canadian writers' tour, forests real and mythical, and the death of her mother. Wiseman's loving friendship with Margaret Laurence appears in more than one essay and provides a deeper understanding of both writers. Those essays may function either as an introduction to Wiseman or as a challenging reminder of one woman's talent. The title essay will be appreciated by young people seeking an understanding of the writer's modus scribendi. Wiseman's wit, humanity and willingness to share highly personal experiences make one feel that one has found a friend. And that is perhaps what all these essays are about: the importance of making connections (friendships) in the world of literature, nature, the family and the global community. Barbara J. Graham, Board of Education for the City of London, London, Ont.