"Abbott Falls, Maine, is a small town in turmoil. The mill is on strike, and everyone's life has taken a turn in an unexpected direction. Ernie Whitten has decided to build an ark in his backyard. A work of art, a symbol of love, an act of desperation, and a building code violation - the ark-in-progress takes on a different meaning for each of the characters in these nine interrelated stories."--BOOK JACKET.