1999 FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 1999 NEW YORKER FICTION PRIZE FINALIST A breathtaking and passionate debut novel about an American midwife discovering the secret wars in Guatemala. Henley weaves her clear and powerful prose into the unforgettable story of a human heart unbinding itself in the most unjust of worlds. "...[an] accomplished first novel.... Henley guides her readers through this tale one graceful and slicing sentence at a time, calling up both despair and wonder, outrage and hope." Hungry Mind Review"... a moving story of love and injustice." Independent Publisher Magazine"...Kates's tale rings true in her realistic conclusion that gross injustice calls for more than merely sorrow, but also rage, sacrifice and the ability to simultaneously love and lose." Publishers Weekly Patricia Henley has published two collections of stories, Friday Night at Silver Star and The Secret of Cartwheels. Her stories have been anthologized in Best American Short Stories and The Pushcart Prize Anthology. Hummingbird House is her first novel and was a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award in 1999 and the New Yorker Fiction Prize 1999.