Literary Wives #9

         The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness

I wish to begin by thanking Penguin Press for sending each of the Literary Wives co-hosting bloggers a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It is always nice to have such cooperation from the publisher!

Check out the other bloggers' reviews as well: 

Emily of The Bookshelf of Emily J

Ariel of One Little Library

Carolyn of Rosemary and Reading Glasses

Cecilia of Only You

Kay of whatmeread

And join us on Facebook!

I was so totally enthralled throughout the first 25 pages; Ness's use of language can be so lyrical and I literally felt as if I was George...standing in his frozen garden...inspecting a crane...up close and personal! A couple of my favorite passages:

      But if it wasn't a dream, it was one of those special corners of what's real, one of those 

      moments, only a handful of which he could recall throughout his lifetime, where the 

      world dwindled down to almost no one, where it seemed to pause just for him, so that 

      he could, for a moment, be seized into life. (11)

      But this, this moment here, this moment was like those, and more so. The gravely injured 

      bird and him in a frozen back garden that could have been the borders of the known 

      universe for all he knew. It was in places like this that eternity happened. (12)

I physically slumped a bit in my chair as I read this:

    ...the crane leaned back its neck, its head

   reaching to the sky, and it opened its beak   

   to call.

   But it didn't call. It gaped silently at 

   the moon, as if breathing it out.

   The crane's full weight suddenly pressed 

   against the man's chest. That long neck 

   fell forward like a ballerina's arm accepting 

   applause, and it wrapped around him, its 

   head hanging down his back, as if 

   embracing him. Only the heaving of its 

   narrow breast told the man that the bird was still alive, that in its exhaustion it had given itself 

   into his keeping, that it would hand over its life to the man if that was what was required.

   'Don't die,' the man whispered urgently. 'Please don't die.' (12-13)

I typically try not to quote such long passages in a review, but felt Ness's words so beautifully engaging to me that I just had to share!

Unfortunately, this book proved that my intuition and research before choosing a book to read is usually spot on; I would not have chosen to read this book had it not been selected for this book discussion. My main hesitation was in the fact that the author's previously published books did not hold much appeal for me, upon reading the summaries and skimming some reviews. But as I typically do, I did my very best to hold no expectations as I began to read... My attitude is always that I want my mind to be open to any and all possibilities as I read, allowing the author to take me where s/he wants me to go! Fun!!

As the book progressed beyond this first section, I was less and less enthralled. For whatever reason, the book overall just didn't resonate for me. I loved the idea, but the various sections of reading did not combine to create what I felt to be a truly cohesive whole story. I wonder if I could have read this in longer time segments (each 2+ hours long rather than many sessions of only 20-30 minutes in duration) if that might have helped alleviate the choppiness and disjointed feelings I experienced in reading the book. Perhaps... I admit to re-reading that initial section of 25 pages or so several times as I progressed through the remainder of the book, just to remind myself of my initial pleasant surprise at the beautiful language and the visceral reactions it prompted.

The protagonist, George, is obviously not what I would term as a necessarily "well-accomplished" man. He appears to be a productive and reliable business owner, though he is not assertive, allowing his shop assistant, Mehmet, to literally run the show in most situations in his own store! Even when he realized Mehmet was not offering optimal customer service, etc., rarely did George intervene. He was, what I would probably term a "gutless wonder," though at no time did I sense any malice in him toward others, and that I could very much respect. He definitely lacked self-confidence and I believe, considered himself a failure overall, though he obviously had a well-established life in many ways: a relatively good relationship with his daughter; an especially close relationship with this grandson; a steady income; but perhaps no truly "creative" outlet.

I admit to becoming a bit weary of the volcano and crane sections, they seemed very repetitive and sexual and I became bored with them. I did manage to link the seeming hopelessness of this relationship with that of George and Kumiko's relationship--as he drew closer to her he needed to "possess" more of her and know more details about her, which placed their relationship on the seemingly same doomed pathway as that of the volcano and crane. Which segues nicely into noting a main theme of this story...obsession and "possession" within relationships. For me personally, this same feeling was more a function of age and immaturity than anything. I felt this way when I was younger, in my first marriage, for at least the first 7-8 years, then I relaxed and believed that I didn't need to know where my spouse/partner was every single minute of every day, nor did I need to know what he was thinking all the time--I either trusted him or I didn't. (Although that trust proved to be misplaced, I still believe trust and mutual respect must form the foundation of any relationship for it to be effective.) In my later years, I am fortunate to have met a man with whom I have created a much more fair and equitable relationship than was my first marriage. And for me, personally, each of us is much more autonomous, which feels more respectful and less "possessive."  I am ever so grateful and appreciative to have experienced this type of intimate relationship at least once in this lifetime! 

Now to the Literary Wives questions:

1) What does this book say about wives or about the experience of being a wife?

Interestingly, we never do get to see George and Kumiko officially become "husband and wife," though in many ways they had already established that same type of intimate relationship, sans sharing the same household. In my opinion any relationship is strained to the utmost by the mere act of living together, whether romantic, platonic, whatever, the constant daily irritations and frustrations can create enough dissonance to destroy any good relationship. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible for George to allow Kumiko the autonomy and privacy she needs to retain her "identity"/"secrets," thereby destroying their relationship. It is his "need to know" that interferes so irrevocably with them as a couple. So perhaps this actually demonstrates more the need to be a "husband" than a "wife"? Or perhaps it is demonstrating the fact that as our society/culture continues to evolve, I believe these gender-based role titles are less and less pertinent or necessary. A partner is a partner is a partner, regardless of the sex of a person. But is it wise for Kumiko to keep her true identity a secret from her partner? Is that the basis for a good marriage? Can she truly be a "wife" if she is willing to hide such information from her "husband"? I think not...

What I did find interesting in this book, was the relationship between George and his ex-wife, Clare. It is obvious she still cares for him and about him, and they seem to have a relatively friendly and effective relationship, though Clare appears to have doubts about Kumiko and her relationship with George, much as his daughter, Amanda. Though I had a distinct impression that both of them were simply expressing their own jealousy at another person commanding so much of George's time and attention. Although Clare had moved on and remarried, I'm uncertain of her willingness to grant George that same freedom. And poor Amanda was quite a mess with her own interpersonal relationships--unable to establish effective friendships, and still rather obsessed with her ex-husband, though she is the person who ended their marriage. However, Kumiko was able to place anyone "under her spell," as it were.  

2) In what way does this woman define "wife" -- or in what way is she defined by "wife"?

I don't believe Kumiko was at all defined by "wife," in fact, I was extremely confused by her acquiescence to become engaged to George, though I believe she was unaware of the implications for cohabitation, etc., as a result. I felt her inexperience with "living together" prevented her from realizing the lack of privacy, etc., that can and does result, therefore, endangering her ability to keep any secrets from George. 

As a "wife," prior to actually having the role legally, Kumiko was wonderful! She brought out the best in George in so many ways. If not for her, I doubt George would have ever accessed his inner creativity and begun the cutouts, and she and Mehmet together created such a financial windfall for him, I gathered it was enough money to keep him for many years, possibly the rest of his life. George became somewhat more assertive and definitely had more self-confidence as a result. She was a positive force in his life, and that is always a good thing, however, she also initiated an obsessive/possessive compulsion within George: he couldn't stop wondering where she lived, where she had been born and raised, where her family lived, etc. I loved the way this depicted that idea of just accepting a person for who they are and enjoying your time together, or satisfying that basic human curiosity to delve into a person's background and privacy. It is an interesting conundrum to consider. I know of several people who have been totally surprised after years in a close intimate relationship to learn of total wickedness of their partner, but would it have been possible to reveal those earlier in the relationship without seeming to be overly obsessive? I don't know...

This book raised many pertinent issues about relationships and overall I liked it, but I didn't love it... Have you read this book? Is it on your TBR list? Or do you have any comments/reactions to my review? Always interested to hear others' thoughts. Feel free to share... I can't wait to see what the others thought of this one... :)

Join us for the next Literary Wives reviews on Monday, August 4. 

We will discuss The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy. 

Poetry. 

I can't remember the last time I read much poetry, so this will definitely be an adventure for me! 

                   

Literary Wives #8: The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

Welcome to the 8th book in the Literary Wives series!

As I started reading this book I was a bit surprised as I expected more of a historical fiction format, and felt as if I was reading a documentary. Once I had read the first 30 pages or so I was enthralled, however! Ackerman has a real knack for descriptors and making the reader feel as if you are standing in Poland, seeing and experiencing everything as you read, as if you are one of the characters. 

I appreciated the outline of research completed to write this book as contained in the Author's Note at the beginning; I am always interested to know just how the author has compiled notes, etc. Although I have read about WWII before, I had no idea of the Nazis' great interest in "purifying" animal bloodlines. For example, Lutz Heck, one of the Nazi higher-ups, along with his brother Heinz, was "completely infatuated" with "the resurrection of three pureblooded, extinct species--the neolithic horses known as forest tarpans, aurochsen (the wild cow progenitor of all European cattle breeds), and the European or 'forest' Bison." The Heck brothers had produced some near Aurochsen and tarpans of their own just prior to WWII, however, the Polish strains "ran truer to type" and were "the clear inheritors." (Was that good or bad news for the Zabinski's?) Lutz appeared at the Warsaw Zoo one day pledging his "help," however, as Antonina stated, "For all we know he may just be playing with us. Big cats need little mice to toy with." Per a mutual friend, Antonina had been told that she reminded Lutz of his first great love, and while she was flattered by his attention and did find him to be "a true German romantic, naive in his political views and conceited perhaps, but courtly and impressive," she was also wary and distrusting of him and his motives. As well she should have been!                                                              

"Under the Third Reich, animals became noble, mythic, almost angelic..." However, in contradiction to this, the high-level Nazi officers got drunk and went on shooting sprees in the zoos, simply shooting animals dead in their cages! Antonina described the heartbreak and sorrow she felt as she heard the shots and realized all the zoo's animals would be dead. Jan was a "devout scientist" who credited Antonina "with the metaphysical waves of a nearly shamanistic empathy when it came to animals," claiming she was so sensitive to them, it was as if she could read their minds. Listening to them die had to be particularly heart wrenching after all the care Antonina had heaped upon these animals to make sure they were well-fed, healthy, and happy. These animals were like family members to both her and her son.

Antonina with Tofi and Tufa, two baby lynx kittens she
spent 6 months bottle-feeding and who remained
dependent upon her for another 6 months until they
reached one year of age.

However, as heartless as the Nazis appeared to be toward animals, in the end, it was nothing compared to their treatment of humans. Not only were the Nazis determined to eliminate any and all people of "inferior value" such as the Slavs, Gypsies, Catholics, or Jews, but they were determined to retain only people they determined to be of "full value." All this to create their idyllic "race of Aryan god-men." Thus confirming what the world now knows--these men were psychotic sociopaths! "Although Mengele's subjects could be operated on without any painkillers at all, a remarkable example of Nazi zoophilia is that a leading biologist was once punished for not giving worms enough anesthesia during an experiment." Unbelievably sick and sadistic. I am always saddened by the cruelty humans have shown to other humans throughout history...

At the time, it was unknown to Antonina just how involved Jan was in the Resistance, and he only told her what he felt she must know, to help protect her. He stockpiled and distributed weapons and most of all, he used the Nazis fascination with animals to his advantage to come and go, delivering money and food to Jews hiding out in Warsaw and also those imprisoned in the Ghetto. It is estimated that the Zabinskis helped some 300 Jews escape without ever being caught. I do admit to feeling sorry for their son Rys who always had to be aware of keeping secrets: about the "guests" who came and went, while secretly delivering food to those hiding in various animal shelters, underground bunkers, etc. at the zoo. Not a life you would necessarily choose for a child, but tough times call for tough measures, and as Jan himself stated, "I only did my duty--if you can save somebody's life, it's your duty to try." This book certainly depicts the strength of the human spirit, both to endure and to help others whatever the risks!

Anonina and Jan feeding a baby bird.

Now for the "wife" questions!

According to Jan: "Antonina was a housewife, she wasn't involved in politics or war, and was timid, and yet despite that she played a major role in saving others and never once complained about the danger." 

1) What does this book say about wives or about the experience of being a wife? Jan's comment above angered me. Exactly how was she NOT "involved in politics or war"? Just because she wasn't out and about the way he was didn't mean she wasn't responsible for all 300 people reaching safety. In fact, only 2 of these 300 didn't survive the war! She was the "leader" of this small group in the villa and totally responsible to care for and prevent the discovery of these "guests." To discount her as simply a "housewife," is, I believe, quite insulting! As usual, no matter how much a woman contributes, it seems those contributions are always viewed as less important than those of a man. I urge anyone doubting that to read this book and note how deftly Antonina handled many situations with brutal soldiers, saving not only herself, but all those for whom she was responsible while Jan was gone. She exhibited unbelievable bravery and courage, all while pregnant, then straddled with a newborn, etc. She has my utmost respect; I feel most anyone else may well have "blown it" and been unable to adapt and flex so quickly to avoid annihilation. Though I guess none of us knows how we might handle such extreme situations until we are there. 

2) In what way does this woman define "wife"--or in what way is she defined by "wife"?
I wonder what Antonina might have done with her life if she hadn't married Jan. But since she was the "wife of a zookeeper," her days were never dull! She was constantly overseeing the care and nurturing of all the animals, large and small, with a menagerie living with them in the villa. In addition, she ran the household and had her own child/children to raise. As was typical in this time period, society defined her by her role of wife, and I don't believe she resented this overall, though she did feel defeated that Jan didn't publicly acknowledge her accomplishments. She certainly proved many times over she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself and others! She certainly did much more than just serve as a "housewife," in my opinion!  

Check out the other bloggers' reviews as well: 

Emily of The Bookshelf of Emily J

Ariel of One Little Library

Audra of Unabridged Chick

Carolyn of Rosemary and Reading Glasses

Cecilia of Only You

Kay of whatmeread

Please plan to join us for our next read, The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness.

Reviews to be posted the first Monday in June.

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Feel free to post your own review there to add
to the discussion!              

Literary Wives #7: The Inquisitor's Wife by Jeanne Kalogridis

Image courtesy of MacMillan Web site

     
           Details:
           St. Martin's Press
           St. Martin's Griffin
            Publication May 2013
            ISBN: 9780312675462
            ISBN: 0312675461
            400 pages




Welcome to the Literary Wives Virtual Book Club for 2014!

We now have a Facebook page for those who would like to participate and/or follow along.

Our first read for 2014 (February) is an excellently written historical novel about the Inquisition in Seville in 1481. 

Jeanne Kalogridis did just what I want a writer to do, particularly in historical fiction: make me "feel" as if I am actually in the time and place, and she certainly accomplished that, though her depiction also felt universal and/or timeless. Persecution of other human beings would, unfortunately, appear to be unstoppable. This novel does an excellent job of describing the events and political machinations in Seville in 1481 that led to the expulsion of those openly practicing Judaism religious rites, as well as many deaths and much torture for those simply accused of being conversos. (Note: no proof was necessary!) I found my own heart racing at times while reading this book! Wondering what was going to happen to the characters, and needing to know asap! Not many writers can do that to me. 

I probably would not have read this particular novel if not for participation in the Literary Wives Online Book Discussion Group. Not due to lack of interest overall, but lack of time to read all the books in which I am really interested! (I'm sure many of you can relate...) I am very glad I did not miss this one! I would compare my reaction to this book to that of Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt and Impatient with Desire by Gabrielle Burton. These comparisons simply relate to my reaction to the subject matter and such accurate writing skills more than anything else.

I am quite the wuss when reading--very little blood, guts, and gore. I just can't handle it; it stays in my head and freaks me out! :) I was fearful that this particular book might prove too gruesome for me, but I could handle the rough stuff Kalogridis included. (For which I was grateful and breathed a sigh of relief when finished!) However, I believe details and the overall story of all three of these books will never leave my mind. They are indelibly inscribed into my memory, and I think that's a good thing. I appreciate knowing more about history, and I feel it is never better learned than through the perspective of a person. I so appreciate the amazing talents of these historical fiction authors! There are too many to name here. 

I was unaware of the purely political and financial motivations of Queen Isabel for the Inquisition in Seville. I don't know how much monetary motivations played into the Inquisition overall, but according to Kalogridis and her research, it was the main factor in Seville. I had no idea about Old Christian vs. New Christian at that time, nor of the persistence and constancy of persecution of Jews, seemingly everywhere and at all times in the history of our world! I never cease to ask myself..."Why?" Why must we humans persecute each other? I am still hopeful that humanity overall is capable of "beating" this "disease"! Surely we will reach a point in "our story" when we no longer persecute each other, period...no matter what the criteria! 

Another reason I might not have read this book is that I personally no longer have any attraction to "organized religion" overall, believing as Christopher Hitchens did, that "religion poisons everything." Since I try not to concentrate on negativity in my life, I purposefully don't read much of what I consider to be negative. However, with that said, I am glad I am motivated to expand my horizons occasionally and read what I might have otherwise avoided; it helps me further clarify my own beliefs and expand my knowledge base.

In short, as you may already know, I don't summarize each book, but prefer to present my own reactions to it. Summaries can be found elsewhere quite easily. 

Now to the "wife" questions and my thoughts...

1) What does this book say about the experience of wives or about the experience of 
     being a wife?

Okay, I'll just say this first. Marriage typically includes sex--(traditionally) monogamous sex. But poor Marisol never gets to experience that in the course of this book, though she does come close, and not necessarily in a good way. I absolutely loved the scene where she opens the "other" door in her bedroom and sees not a closet, as she believed it to be, but her own husband, still drunk, holding a candle for light, stark naked with quite an erection. "I parted my lips, fascinated, and held my ground: part of me wanted nothing to do with Gabriel, but another part of me longed to be touched by a man... I [was] praying that he would take me then, while hoping just as fervently that he would not." So very realistic! Especially for a 17-year-old female, someone with absolutely no sexual experience whatsoever--the attraction and the aversion! But no sex for her! 

For Marisol, as an Old Christian, suspected of being a converso, being a wife was simply a "protection" perpetrated upon her by her father. He (mistakenly) thought by forcing his daughter to marry Gabriel, she would be protected from the newly instituted Inquisition laws, sparing her any possible imprisonment and specifically, her life. As one would expect in 1481, a "wife" really had no rights other than those assigned/allowed by her husband. She was still basically considered property of the man and he could do as he pleased with and to her. A wife was to obey and acquiesce, no matter what.  

2) In what way does this woman define "wife"--or in what way is she defined by "wife"?

Her relationship with Antonio was as much that of a true wife as any, certainly much more so than with Gabriel. In my opinion, a wife should be able to love and respect her partner, as well as expect the same in return. That certainly was not and (in my opinion) never would have been the case with Gabriel. He was purely motivated by greed, obsession, and manipulation. (Admittedly, I could easily imagine doing great harm to this man and being quite satisfied doing so...) And we can conclude Gabriel was controlling Antonio and Marisol's relationship from afar once they were separated geographically, so without his interference, I believe (perhaps I just hope) that they would have had a completely happy and mutually beneficial partnership as husband and wife. Marisol was totally defined by her role as "wife" to a great degree, although she quickly learned to match wits with those who would manipulate and control her, until she finally discovered the truth. Admittedly, I was uncertain who was going to live or die in this novel, but I was glad she would live to establish a new life. 

I felt Marisol extended her life beyond the typical role of "wife" and it was a good thing she did, because I don't believe she'd have had a chance of living had she not done so. Even if you aren't certain you'd like to learn more about this era and the Inquisition, I would highly recommend this book as an enlightening and uplifting read. I respect anyone who endured such humiliation, torture, even death, and retained their sense of self-respect, morality, and most of all, compassion. 

Check out the other bloggers' reviews as well: 

Ariel of One Little Library

Audra of Unabridged Chick

Carolyn of Rosemary and Reading Glasses

Cecilia of Only You

Kay of whatmeread

Image from Diane Ackerman's Web site

Plan to join us for our next read, 

The Zookeeper's Wife, a War Story 
by Diane Ackerman. 

Reviews to be posted the first Monday in April. 

I am very anxious to read this one, having had it recommended to me by so many people!

Literary Wives #6: The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

Welcome back to the Literary Wives Virtual Book Club!

• Our sixth read was a "scorcher"! 
• You should add it to your to-read list for 2014!
• 
  
• ISBN-13: 9780385537629
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Publication date: January 28, 2014
• Pages: 320

Firstly, thanks to the publisher for providing all of us with copies of this outstanding novel to review prior to publication. 

My favorite quote: "...the pecking order remained intact. Wife first. Then mistress. Leave the maid behind to clean up the mess."

Although not my favorite genre, this book felt a bit like noir as I read it, but it had me enthralled from the start! And that feeling never left me as I progressed to the end! I totally agree with Melanie Benjamin's review--it is definitely a "page-turner"! I really wanted to just sit and finish it in one fell swoop! However, that full-time job and other daily life activities prevented my doing so! I am certain that did nothing to diminish my enjoyment, however. 

For me, the plot was the main character in this story. Admittedly, I was fascinated that I loved this book although I felt the characterization to be a bit less in-depth than I typically prefer. I kept thinking to myself as I read, "Wow...none of these women is truly operating in Joe's best interests, are they?" 
I initially noted to myself, "Joe is a bastard." 
Not too long after that, "Joe is really a bastard!" 
And, lo and behold, these insights were proven to be true! 
As they say, when you play with fire...

As always with historical fiction, I was delighted to find myself a bit more enlightened about a historical event/situation, as with this "Hoffa-like" disappearance of a Supreme Court judge during the Tammany Hall days of total corruption. Nothing would surprise me about that era in NYC! Naturally, I was reminded of The Godfather in the consistency of relationships based upon raw corrupt political power with a foundation of money and influence as drivers. 

All the hosting bloggers contributed questions to be asked of the author, Ariel Lawhon (pictured to the left), as she graciously agreed to grant us an interview. Audra at Unabridged Chick graciously conducted and posted the interview here. I befriended Ariel on Goodreads when only about halfway through the book, I was so impressed!! In addition to being physically beautiful, she is very open to communicating with readers. 
Ariel is co-founder of the popular online book club, She Reads, a novelist, blogger, and life-long reader. She lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and four young sons (aka The Wild Rumpus). She believes that Story is the shortest distance to the human heart.

Now for the "wifely" questions!

1) What does this book say about wives or about the experience of being a wife?

Stella reminded me of Alice in American Wife in the fact that she was also a politician's wife, necessarily intent upon keeping up appearances to enable her husband's career. Though Stella was definitely feistier than Alice (Admittedly, I am still angry with Alice!), I am uncertain whether Alice's rather demure countenance would ever reconcile with Stella's steadfast mode of retribution! As Ariel Lawhon stated to me, perhaps Stella is a reminder that "...we should never underestimate anyone. Everyone keeps secrets." Stella turns the role of wife on its ear by proving that she can play the "boys game" just as well or even better than they can. She organizes her own "crime syndicate" to accomplish the unthinkable. Males may think they are controlling their women, but not always...even way back then!  :) Maria is portrayed as the "model"/"perfect" wife to Jude, however, her own well-intentioned meddling into his affairs proves to be very dangerous for both of them. I rather disapprove of Ritzi's abandonment of her wifely role and then reappearing out of the blue, pregnant with another man's child, and expecting to be accepted and welcomed back by her husband. Really? I realize it's possible, but I doubt I could be that forgiving. Frankly, after three years, I'm relatively certain I would have filed for divorce based upon abandonment and developed a new life. In my opinion, she is VERY lucky, in so many ways. 

2) In what way does this woman define "wife"--or in what way is she defined by "wife"?

Unfortunately, it seems that Stella is totally defined by her role as wife. She is intimidated by Joe to "behave" and do as she is told, unless she face his wrath. I felt Joe's capacity to dole out abuse in any form was never far below the surface in their relationship. It seemed that as long as she followed his dictates and "kept up appearances," just as her mother desired her to do, she would be left relatively unscathed by him or his cronies. However, as did Catherine in A Reliable Wife, Stella actually uses her role as the ever-dutiful wife to reap retribution upon her husband. As noted above in my favorite quote from this book, the hierarchy seems to hold with the other criminals in Joe's world--the maid can be threatened, coerced, and used, as is the mistress, of course, but the wife is relatively untouched by such measures, except from her own husband! Now that's some irony, is it not?!? Speaking of irony, although Ritzi appears to be the one of these three women the least disposed to becoming a mother, and pregnant by someone other than her own husband, is the only one to live to bear a child.

Don't forget to check out the others' reviews:

Emily of The Bookshelf of Emily J

Emily is a Ph.D. student studying professional communication who has worked as an editor and a composition instructor. She is the mother of two little girls and loves chocolate and ice cream. The thing she wants most right now is a day in bed with a good book, preferably fiction.

Find her on Facebook




Ariel of One Little Library

Ariel is an editorial assistant at a Southern California publishing house. A literature enthusiast, she likes heroines full of gumption and conflicts fraught with ethical dilemmas. Her favorite book is and always will be Jane Eyre.

Find her on Twitter and Facebook

Audra of Unabridged Chick

Audra is a 30-something married lesbian with a thing for literary fiction and historical novels, classic noir, and vintage favorites. She lives in Boston with her wife and works for a non-profit. She loves interesting heroines, gorgeous prose, place as character, and the occasional werewolf.

Find her on Twitter and Facebook




Carolyn of Rosemary and Reading Glasses

After five years in graduate school, Carolyn O is on hiatus to be the read-at-home-parent to her small son. She works as an editor, writer, and proofreader on the side, and hopes to return to teaching soon. She loves used bookstores, early modern drama and poetry, feminism, and anything Joss Whedon creates.

Find her on Twitter

Cecilia of Only You

Cecilia teaches writing and self-presentation skills to international professionals by day and night (the curse of time zone differences) and in between squeezes in some reading and writing of her own. Her reading tastes are pretty eclectic, though she loves literary fiction and memoir most of all, and works by women and international writers in particular. The best part of her day is the end-of-the-day book club that she shares with her 9-year-old son.

Find her on Twitter and Facebook

And the newest addition, Kay of whatmeread

Kay is a long-time professional technical writer who has taught composition and technical-writing courses at the college level. She loves reading all kinds of books. When she recently got an iPad and spent some hours playing games, her husband thought she'd undergone a personality change. But soon she was back to reading. She is the secret author of three (sadly unpublished) trashy romance novels.

Welcome, Kay!!




The February 1, 2014 book is                                                                 
The Inquisitor's Wife: A Novel of Renaissance Spain
by Jeanne Kalogridis

Please plan to join us!