Rich in emotional detail, Leaving Home tells the absorbing story of three siblings who must make the transition to independent adult life during the Depression: Nina, just out of Vassar and working in publishing; Kermit, a Columbia student, sarcastic and manipulative; and Marion, pretty, vulnerable, and involved in an impossible affair. The New York Times Book Review calls the novel "a delight to read, and even re-read, for its subtle, ironic implications."