What interesting young women these [courtesans] must have been! They're kind of grifters, they're adventurers. They have to make their mark in this very hostile world, and they don't have a lot of time to do it.
The power of a book to change a life is demonstrated by writer Nicole Krauss in her second novel. Octogenarian Leo Gursky is at the center of the story, which also involves a teenage girl who was named after a character in a book, and a son who doesn't know that his real father has been quietly keeping watch over him for years. But it's Leo's story that has captivated readers.
What interesting young women these [courtesans] must have been! They're kind of grifters, they're adventurers. They have to make their mark in this very hostile world, and they don't have a lot of time to do it. 
