The three Erdrich sisters

The Three Graces

Louise, Lise and Heid Erdrich--sisters first, writers second--look back on their parents' hand in fostering a shared love of language.Sisters curdling with hatred, envy and jealousy abound in literature: Psyche's spiteful siblings, King Lear's jockeying progeny, Cinderella's gleeful tormentors--just to name a few.

But literary sisters Louise, Liselotte (Lise) and Heid Erdrich--all published authors with varying degrees of honor, praise and glory--betray no such sentiments.

"Ribaldry, maybe, but no rivalry," said Lise, the middle sister, who loves to crack wise. "We enjoy taking salacious interest in one another's love lives and teasing about our different dysfunctions."