Jennifer Egan’s essay “Reading Lucy” from the collection Brooklyn Was Mine expresses Egan’s goal in finding the letters that were written about the Brooklyn Navy Yard during World War II and the involvement of women. Jennifer Egan learned a lot from the letters because she learned about Lucy Kolkin and the letters she wrote to her husband. Lucy Kolkin was one of the Lucy’s letters included much of the needed information and details to help Jennifer find out what she wanted to know. Jennifer Egan’s reading of the letters became more of a pastime. The more Jennifer read, the more she is interested on Lucy’s life and the less she is interested in her topic about the navy yard. Reading her letters made Egan understand Lucy better and how much she and Alfred loved each other. As reading through her letters Egan learns that Lucy dies and then Egan looks up information on Lucy’s eulogy. Jennifer then tries to find living relatives that will discuss Lucy’s life more thoroughly which would keep her in contact with Lucy in some way. In the end Jennifer realizes that she must let go of Lucy and end her quest which have made her feel as if she and Lucy were connected physically and mentally.