Literary Wives #11

Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon

I was very uncertain what to expect of this book. Honestly, I was a bit hesitant, thinking it might be about a woman getting herself involved with a stranger online who might then stalk her, harm her, kidnap her, whatever...

I was pleasantly surprised by Gideon's book, however. I believe she did a great job of depicting age-old issues with the added aspects of modern technologies, specifically social media. My one challenge was reading the sections of Facebook chats--I swear I had to keep rereading throughout these sections to determine who was speaking. For some reason it wasn't easy for me to track the speaker, though I now believe that was due more to the obtuse responses between Researcher 101 and Alice than anything else. I would recommend this book, especially for readers somewhat younger than my 58 years! Though I found much to connect with. I am a bit late in posting my review today, since I typically post first thing in the morning, but purposefully have not yet read my co-hosts' reviews: 

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

Audra of Unabridged Chick is currently on hiatus!

And join us on Facebook! 
Post your review there or on any/all of our blogs!

Obviously, this book has much to say about marriage and the role of wife, but those comments will be addressed while answering our two "wife" questions below... The one aspect of marriage relationships that I felt Gideon described and depicted so accurately was the tendency (not for all, but I feel typically for the majority) of couples to "drift apart" over the years, particularly once you've become mired down in raising children for 10+ years. I believe most couples should make time for themselves/each other throughout their marriages, or it is inevitable that they will grow apart and feel as if they no longer have anything in common, etc. I firmly believe in routine "date nights" for parents to have some alone time and a change of scenery to help avoid such a pitfall later as the children are nearing the time when they literally and figuratively will "leave the nest." 

Alice's mother died when she was only 15 years old and in many ways she feels bereft as a result, but particularly this year, her 45th. Her mother was only 45 when she died, so this marks a true milestone for Alice. The Mumble Bumbles (her mutually supportive group of adult females who also lost their mothers when young) are well aware she will likely need to overcome major emotional hurdles this year due to that historic connection. There were times throughout this book when I felt the idea of a mother-daughter relationship was (for me, at least) quite romanticized and idealized. "...never would we experience that kind of unconditional, nothing-you-can-do-will-turn-me-away-from-you kind of mother love." Uh...hellooooo! Just because others have living biological mothers, that does not automatically ensure such unconditional positive regard given by those mothers to their daughters. In point of fact, it can be quite the opposite! Not all mothers are kind and caring, to say the least. But I digress... :)

I admit I was quite upset that Alice did not follow through with her legal responsibility as an educator to simply turn the marijuana over to the authorities and make that family deal with their own behaviors. I wonder if she would have given them a "pass" if this mother hadn't been the PTA President with such a major decision-making role in the drama teacher's position. I was rather glad that Alice suffered a backlash from what she saw as her kind act toward this woman. Her decision was quite irresponsible, in my opinion...and as a displaced teacher myself, that made me rather angry.

I particularly appreciated the references to and depiction of the value of "unburdening" (p. 51) oneself to a nonjudgmental impartial objective confidante--a therapist. I firmly believe each of us would benefit greatly from such therapeutic interactions. I know I could never have survived (and thrived!) throughout much of my adult life without just such an outlet. My current therapist, "Super Tim," is the best match I have had to date for such "unburdening." I could definitely relate when Alice stated "answering the questions calms me down...There's almost a meditative aspect to it." (p. 51). I wholeheartedly agree! Additionally, it helps me resolve my frustrations without overburdening my husband, because after all, realistically (or IRL!) there is only so much "therapy"/counseling we should expect from our partners, as this can place much unnecessary strain and stress upon the relationship overall. 

Though my own mother did not die until just a couple of years ago, I could relate to Alice's persistent feeling of disconnectedness or inability to think clearly throughout these months. I felt Gideon was quite accurate in her descriptions of Alice as almost unwell during this time period. There have been times when my personal life and relationships have similarly disoriented me, making it a challenge to remain connected and fully functional in life's daily routine. Such times can seem as if you are living through an "otherworldly" experience...

Ah, and parenting. Alice's worries and concerns about her children brought all that back to me from raising my three children. And to add the technological immediacy of social media just compounds the need to truly connect and communicate with your children. Admittedly, I wonder how my children and their partners will manage to deal with what I believe to be all this added parental stress, but I'm sure they'll do it very well...

Now for our two Literary Wives questions:

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

Firstly, I admit I really didn't "like" William. He appeared to me to be quite an arrogant, demanding male, particularly in the very beginning of their relationship. In my opinion, Alice allowed nothing more or less than herself to be manipulated by him. However, by the end of the book I felt as if William did truly care about Alice and their marriage, and was willing to do whatever it took to "find" her and bring her back, just as he had promised years before. Perhaps for me, this book depicted how a "wife" is typically so much more than that; also a confidante for her husband/wife and children, much of the time an overseer and manager of the family, and/or the major financial provider. I believe that for many wives the "role," especially if it requires managing the bulk of the responsibility for a marriage/partnership and particularly includes children, can become quite repetitive, dull, and boring, with seemingly no "way out" or enjoyment on her own terms. Hence my recommendation of regular outings for the parents sans children! Also a good idea for each parent to have time to themselves!

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

This is tougher for me to answer. In many ways I felt as if Alice had become an independent person and wasn't allowing herself to be manipulated by William as much, however, he did basically manipulate her by not admitting to her how he had lost his job. (I asked myself, shouldn't he have divulged this information to her, as his wife? Or not? Must we admit each and every little foible to our mate?) I respected and admired Alice for having the gumption and respect to never allow William to know the depth of her knowledge of his job displacement. She was loyal to him, though Researcher 101 challenged that. However, I felt the main attraction another man held for her was the fact he listened and it would be a change, something/someone different, and she felt as if that could only be a good thing. Though ultimately I believe in her heart she realized she didn't really want to sacrifice her marriage to find out how it might be with 101... I believe Alice defined "wife" by proving that she could deal with multiple familial frustrations and worries while handling her own personal crises. But she was also defined by her role as wife...and mother. I liked Alice and could relate to her on many different levels.

How would you answer these questions about Alice? What did you think of this book?

Be sure to join us on December 1st 

for our reviews of 

The Shoemaker's Wife 

by Adriana Trigiani. 

I have owned this book for quite awhile. 

I believe it is the first in a trilogy. 

I'm very excited to read it!

Bonds can be formed in many ways...

A Single Thread by Marie Bostwick

This is the first in the Cobbled Court Quilt series, 

which currently consists of 6 books: 

A Single Thread 

A Thread of Truth 

A Thread So Thin 

Threading the Needle 

Ties That Bind 

Apart at the Seams 

Prequel (published 2013): 

Between Heaven and Texas 

See the author's website here.

Ms. Bostwick's descriptions are so realistic I feel as if I am right beside the characters experiencing the same thing, whether it is Evelyn as she first walks through New Bern and discovers the old Pharmacy building which she immediately envisions as a quilt shop (though its current condition is in need of much rehabilitation and repair), or Mary Dell barging into her bedroom to get her out of the doldrums and back into life! I found the characterization to be concise and quite compelling, as were the themes: illness, betrayal of marriage vows, recreating your life from scratch, etc. I truly love this woman's writing style, but disliked what I felt to be a distinct "preachiness" that unless you believe in God and attend church regularly, you cannot be truly happy. I don't believe that, but in addition, I believe it to be rude to try to "convert" others to your belief system, though I'm sure I am in the minority on this. Additionally, I found it just a bit tough to believe that everything literally turned out so perfectly happy in the end.

One of our book club members wanted us to read this book because it reminded her so much of our own group; the close friendships formed among and between us, after having met as total strangers for the "Borders" Fiction Book Club. Once I read it, my reaction was "Awwww...that is just so sweet!" It is remarkable how we can bond so closely through one common interest, although amongst our group, we vary greatly in many other areas of our personalities! This was one of the realizations as we answered the discussion questions. I always remember what I learned from an introductory Sociology course: the variation among the members within any one group is just as great as the variation between/among different groups! That's rather amazing when you consider...diversity is with us at all times; we must decide whether to embrace it, and others...or not. 

I believe this book prompted one of the best discussions our book club has had! Reactions to the book overall varied from "I just LOVED it!!" to "I really liked it." to "It was a bit too religious and Pollyanna-ish for me." to "I found the religious content to be quite disruptive and everything just ended up way too perfect for me." Isn't that neat? I love it when we can discuss our different reactions and better understand others' perspectives! I was a bit relieved that I was not the only person who felt the ending was a bit too perfect, and that everyone achieved happiness only by attending church and discovering or confirming a belief in "God." (The Christian definition of God, of course.) 

Many times the discussion questions in the back of a book are not the best at prompting good discussion. Sometimes they are rather confusing, and other times they just seem silly, but the questions for A Single Thread seemed quite pertinent. As a result, I believe we each learned new things about each other, although we have been meeting at least once a month for over four years! Now that's sayin' something!  

Have you read this book? Or the series? I have now read all 6 books in the series and the prequel, and will post a follow-up review of the series overall. 

Would I recommend this book? Yes...but with the understanding that I felt Bostwick's management of themes and the realities of life improved with each book following this one. This series is definitely worth the time and effort of reading it and I am so very glad I persevered beyond this first installment! 

Let us know your thoughts...now that we have shared ours with you! :)

Who Knew? A White Wind Blew...Fave from 2013!

A White Wind Blew 

by James Markert

It may seem a bit odd that I would post a book review for my FAVORITE 2013 read in September of 2014, but really, it isn't...trust me on this! ;) Always expect the "unexpected"!

This is one of the very first books I received free from a publisher (Sourcebooks) in exchange for an honest and fair review. YIPPEE!! You can confirm with my husband and Smokie, my gray kitty, I was literally dancing around the house I was soooo thrilled!! And now it is my favorite book from 2013. A White Wind Blew by James Markert is an absolutely remarkable read!

I was on a mission once Cecilia of Only You asked me for my ONE (YIPES! Only one? Yes, only ONE!!) favorite read from all of 2013! This is so difficult for me! To narrow the list of books I have read in one whole year down to just ONE favorite! Impossible, I thought to myself! But kudos to her, she got me really thinking. Although I could literally make a case for at least 20-30 books as I started back through the listing of those I'd read in 2013, I did end up with The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin AND A White Wind Blew by James Markert. I know, I know...that is really TWO, but it's as close to ONE as I could get!!

Melanie's book has received much well-deserved good press and remained on the NYT bestseller listing for a long time! However, I would like to think I may be able to convince just a few readers to try a perhaps lesser-known writer and book that proved to be just as fascinating a reading experience for me. After all, everyone who actually followed my recommendation to read this book (Okay, true, as far as I know, only the members of the book club I facilitate...but STILL... lol) has really liked it or now cite it as one of their favorite reads! I am proud and happy about that!! Additionally, I donated a copy to my local library and the President of our Board of Directors happened to read it and was talking about what a great book it was at the next Board meeting...she had no idea I had donated it to the library! That made me feel wonderful, especially since she typically only reads nonfiction historical/political books. Hooray!

In my opinion, this book has everything you could ask for: clear concise characterization, 
accurate and compelling depiction of relevant social issues of the day including racism, prohibition, gangsters, and those other interpersonal issues that arise between and among people. The reader directly experiences the world of that time through these fascinatingly ordinary, yet complex characters, immersing you into this TB-laden world of the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Lousville, Kentucky, in post-WW I U.S. 

I am certain one of the things that has made this book even more  memorable to me is the fact that Mr. Markert was kind and generous enough to spend 25 minutes of his valuable time speaking with our book club, answering questions and providing additional information about himself and this wonderfully written novel. Additionally, he was sitting in the hotel lobby speaking with us, since his room was not yet ready for him to check-in! How nice is that? You can discover additional information about him at his website, and about the Waverly Hills Sanatorium at this website.  By reading this book, you learn the stories of some of these peoples' lives, though this is a fictional work, it is quite compelling and realistically told...

I believe a sequel to this book would be another wonderful addition to the world of literature, particularly historical fiction! Just sayin', Mr. Markert... A writer who can literally make me feel as if I am there has such talent! 

If you have not read this book, it is an excellent way to spend your time. Even if you are a bit hesitant, I believe you will discover Markert did more than just make this theme work, he created a masterpiece with characters you will never forget! 

Please check out another of his projects, a romantic comedy, 2nd Serve. 

Is it just reading with your Mother?

 The End of Your Life Book Club 

                      by Will Schwalbe

This book had so much to say...about reading...about books...about sharing reactions...about love...about pride...about parent/child relationships, especially in adulthood. 'Cause Will and his mother, Mary Ann, definitely (in my opinion, at least) had a remarkable friendship and camaraderie which seemed to culminate in their shared reading experiences. Personally, it is difficult for me to imagine such a give-and-take relationship with my own mother...suffice it to say, she was nothing like Mary Ann. To me, Mary Ann was the quintessential mom, depicting my idealized version! Will did an amazing job of memorializing her in this book, while simultaneously demonstrating the purpose of literature! 

Literature as defined by Merriam-Webster online: (1) written works (such as poems, plays, and novels) that are considered to be very good and to have lasting importance, (2) books, articles, etc., about a particular subject, (3) printed materials (such as booklets, leaflets, and brochures) that provide information about something. To me, "literature" can be virtually anything we read, but it is in the sharing of written materials that meaning and so much more is determined; each individual providing their own unique interpretation of and reactions to the written word. Mary Ann believed "books are the most powerful tool in the human arsenal" and that reading all kinds of books "is how you take part in the human conversation." (p. 326). Our book club demonstrates that! As she stated: 
                    The appeal of reading...lay in its indifference: there was something undeferring about 
                    literature. Books did not care who was reading them or whether one read them or not. 
                    All readers were equal, herself included.
Refugees would always request books, especially for their children, "sometimes even before medicine or shelter" (p. 110)

Courtesy NY Times
Robert H. Chapman/Courtesy Will Schwalbe
Mary Ann Schwalbe and her children,
including Will Schwalbe, at left;
circa 1967.

This picture of mother and children speaks volumes! You can definitely "see" Mary Ann's delight in her children reflected in her own expression. And...just look at that smirky little grin on Will's face! I believe the attitude behind that grin was accurately reflected in Will's daily life. His mom instituted a mandatory Sunday School attendance policy about which Will was not overly thrilled. However, he eventually selected the Christian Science Sunday School, mainly because "the cookies were store-bought and of the highest quality" and Tang was served. "It was fun to both follow the rules--I was going to Sunday School--and cast my lot with the outlaws [Christian Science believers]." (p. 94) 

Religion played a large part in their discussion of Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. Although I am do not believe in a deity, nor ascribe to an organized religion, I was fascinated with this book and the story, but not at all put off by John Ames' Christian foundation for his understanding of life. And typically, that would be a distraction for me. Mary Ann felt that this book should make Will "want to have faith," however, Will states he feels the same as John's friend's son who "describes himself not as an atheist," but rather that he is in a "state of categorical unbelief." This appears to frustrate Mary Ann and she changes the subject; one of the few times it seems she disagrees with one of her children and persists in trying to change him. 

Mary Ann had what Will termed "a slightly socialistic streak" when it came to treats and possessions. If one of the 3 children tried to "hog" more than their fair share of a treat, she would redistribute the portions, making certain that same child received "the smallest portion by far." (p. 85) Likewise, when it came to their possessions, mandatory sharing was the policy. I totally agree with the treat reapportionment, but I believe it is healthy for each child to have at least a few items they can feel are theirs alone and they are not compelled to share with their siblings, unless they choose to do so. But perhaps that is simply the result of my being an only child.

I could appreciate Will's description of the one single most effective tool they could use as children to avoid household chores, etc.: "Like churches during the Middle Ages, books conferred instant sanctuary. Once you entered one, you couldn't be disturbed." (p. 68) Therefore, if you could prove you were actively engaged in reading, you were exempt from common chores. I would have never had to do anything as a child since I virtually always had my "nose in a book," as they say! In fact, my grandmother would become a bit angry with me for walking through the house while reading! She always feared I would fall! I could relate to Mary Ann's dismissal of hypocritical double standards: "Mom was always a little amazed at parents who thought their kids should be reading more but who never read themselves." (p. 68) She and her husband read during the week and would sometimes spend whole weekend days reading! Wow...that would have been my dreamworld as a child! 

So many people noted Mary Ann's bravery and courage to travel internationally visiting refugee campus, monitoring elections, etc. However, she did not believe herself to have been courageous, as she had chosen these actions. In her opinion, people who qualified as courageous had to endure and overcome challenging situations into which they were placed by no choice of their own, and in fact would certainly never have chosen. 

Each of our book club members greatly admired Mary Ann on so many levels, especially with regard to the unique relationship she developed with each of her children. She learned who they were, about their strengths and challenges, and then enabled and guided their development overall, all while working full-time outside the home and traveling much of the time. We loved the discussion of books and appreciated the fact that many of those listed were ones we've read and discussed in book club and/or on our own. This prompted listing and ordering of many different books!! In fact, just one or two people could use the book discussions contained within to have their own "book club"! :)

Have you read this yet? I would definitely recommend it. What are your thoughts?

An e-short story by Rachel Joyce

A Faraway Smell of Lemon

by Rachel Joyce

In actuality, I only read this e-short story because I received an email about another author's e-short story having been released this morning. Once I entered my Kobo account (Yes, there is a source for even e-books other than Amazon...), I realized that I had already purchased and downloaded that e-short story, but decided to purchase and read this one, realizing this author had also written The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry which our book club will be reading and discussing in January of 2015. I really wanted to acquaint myself with Joyce's writing style... (And I do have a confession regarding e-publications...unless it's a short story that I can only procure in electronic format, I don't. I read one e-book and I prefer the heft of the physical book in my hands. Though I do get the convenience factor of e-books...) 

I found Joyce's writing style to be very straightforward, yet revealing the "full story" gradually through the protagonist's interactions with and thoughts about others. Binny was a sympathetic character to whom I could relate, especially her aversion to cleaning house! ;) You can assume Binny has probably experienced a tough time developing romantic/interpersonal relationships since she is a self-described "giant" who must duck to clear doorways and is "big-boned" as her mother told her throughout her childhood. Typically, in our society/culture, larger women are not viewed as "attractive" or physically acceptable to others as partners.

I believe Binny's aversion to housekeeping was one symptom of her depression, resulting from repressing her own emotions, which becomes clear as the story unfolds. Her parents had died not so long ago, but she refused to cry or show her emotions at that time, then Oliver, her current "partner," ups and leaves her, confessing his affair with another woman who is now pregnant. Although Binny is beside herself, true to form, she is still willing herself to remain stoic, refusing to deal with the emotional turmoil.

Rather than dealing with her emotions by expressing them verbally, instead she chooses to throw plates, covering her kitchen floor with the "thousand blue ceramic pins" that were formed, then she "swept the splinters of china into her hands and squeezed until she felt them spike the skin." (This process reminded me a bit of "cutting" behaviors that some people do to "relieve" themselves of emotional overload/misery.)  

It was amazing to see how Binny reacted to the cleaning shop worker...and finally obtained some relief. Proof that none of us ever knows when we might have significant impact upon someone else's life in the seemingly most insignificant interactions.

I highly recommend this story. Have you read it? Or have you read anything else she has written? What was your reaction?

Literary Wives #10: Poetry!

The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy

Image courtesy of Powell's Books

Our tenth read for the Literary Wives online book discussion group is a collection of poems about various wives of famous/infamous men throughout history, including folklore and mythological heroes, literary characters, etc., as well as some sisters and Anne Hathaway! This book sent me researching some mythological characters for context, since I never was much into mythology. 

Please check out the other co-hosting bloggers' reviews:

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! 
Post your review there or on any/all of our blogs!

Having not read much poetry for many years, I was uncertain what to expect. Though this collection did make me laugh out loud once in awhile, overall, the language and imagery was a bit too crude for me...and I though I could handle crude just fine! :

There are 30 poems ranging from the easily recognizable, like "Little Red-Cap," to the somewhat more obscure, such as "Mrs Aesop" or "Circe." Some of the titles are quite humorous and made me chuckle: "Queen Kong," "Elvis's Twin Sister," "Mrs Beast," and "Mrs Quasimodo." There is violence in several of these poems that simply grossed me out. However shocking some of the language and/or imagery was for me at times, there were also some moments that me stop and consider, or just laugh out loud! I found "Mrs Sisyphus" to be the most humorous of all.

From the first poem: 

Lesson one that night,
breath of the wolf in my ear, was the love poem.
I clung till dawn to his thrashing fur, for
what little girl doesn't dearly love a wolf? (p. 3)

At which point I stopped and exclaimed aloud, "What?!?" Little girls LOVE wolves...well...okay...that's a bit different perspective. As you may well have guessed, this excerpt was from "Little Red Cap." And trust me, she did exact revenge for grandma's untimely demise!

"Mrs Quasimodo" was a particularly "ugly" poem, in my opinion. (Pun intended, I suppose.) He leaves her for someone "well formed" and she takes revenge by dismantling the bells.

I sawed and pulled and hacked.
I wanted silence back.
Get this:

When I was done,
and bloody to the wrist, 
I squatted down among the murdered music of the bells
and pissed. (p. 38-39)

All righty then! Mission accomplished, eh?!? ;) I felt the word choice "murdered music of the bells" was quite apt and depicted her intent accurately. I could easily suspend my disbelief to envision this scene.

I found "Mrs Midas" quite moving. I had never truly considered how the "Midas touch" turning 
everything to gold could destroy a person's (Mr. Midas's specifically) life and relationship. 

I made him sit
on the other side of the room and keep his hands to himself.
I locked the cat in the cellar. I moved the phone.
The toilet I didn't mind I couldn't believe my ears:

how he'd had a wish. Look, we all have wishes; granted.
But who has their wish granted? Him.

...He tried to light a cigarette; I gazed, entranced,
as the blue flame played on its luteous stem. At least, 
I said, you'll be able to give up smoking for good. (p. 12)

She made him move out and he eventually became "thin" and "delirious." Mrs. Midas states

What gets me now is not the idiocy or the greed
but lack of thought for me. Pure selfishness. I sold
the contents of the house and came down here.
I think of him in certain lights, dawn, late afternoon, 
and once a bowl of apples stopped me dead. I miss most,
even now, his hands, his warm hands on my skin, his touch. (p. 13)

Ending with a bit of irony, that one! And how much does she lack perspective and understanding? I'm rather assuming this man simply thought to make his own and his wife's lives much more enjoyable and less stressful with more money and riches. Perhaps he was only thinking of himself, but I could envision someone believing they would make their partner more comfortable with more money obtained by selling the gold. And I doubt he foresaw being granted this peculiar ability as the granting of his wish, but rather just a pile of treasure? Alas, we will never know...

I could continue giving you bits and pieces, but really, if you're interested, these poems do give you moments of pause. They're not exactly to my taste, but that is just me. You may find them all utterLY fascinating and delightful! One thing is for certain, they are a bit deeper than I expected, and I certainly appreciate that. Duffy's use of language is captivating, to say the least!

Now to the Literary Wives questions:

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

To say these wives were feminists is perhaps a drastic understatement. Most of them exacted revenge in the most vicious ways, in my opinion. Mental note: do not "cross" any of these women, 'cause they can be evil and wicked! At the very least most of them berate, criticize, and make fun of their husbands And there is certainly no need to worry about these females, 'cause trust me, they can (and will!) definitely take care of themselves, and woe to the males upon whom they unleash their cruelty! For many of them the experience of being a wife meant they felt they were married to "bumbling idiots" or selfish pricks, or both! Overall, I did feel these poems expressed to some degree how living with another person can become a trial on certain days, once the thrill of a new relationship has settled into daily routines. However, there are coping mechanisms other than murder, etc., that can be employed to help alleviate such frustration! :)

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

I felt many of these women were only wives until they felt they couldn't stand living with their husbands any longer. Perhaps the more deadly ones have lodged in my mind, but overall, I would say they only remained wives as long as they felt loved or at least some hope of being loved. And by love I mean receiving respect and consideration, not just sex. I wholeheartedly agree with this depiction of a marriage/relationship, which I consider to be realistic. I would never again remain committed to a relationship that wasn't based upon mutual respect, consideration, empathy, and caring. I felt most of these women were desiring these same qualities in their mates.

Join us Monday, October 6, for our reviews of Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon.

It sounds like an interesting premise!

Classics Club Spin #6 is...

NUMBER 1

That means I will be reading The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing!

I am really looking forward to reading this book!

Doris Lessing won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2007, with the Swedish Academy describing her as 

"that epicist of the female experience, who with skepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilization to scrutiny."

This book contains 635 pages. Not a quick read, that's for sure! 

(Especially for me!)

It was originally published in 1962. My edition contains a 3-page introduction from 1993 and a 17-page introduction from 1971! I typically find such sections to be very informative and pertinent to my understanding and enjoyment of the novel.

I have no idea exactly what to expect, so will be diving in very soon since the review is to be posted by July 7!

Per Wikipedia: 

"This book, as well as the couple that followed it, enters the realm of what Margaret Drabble in The Oxford Companion to English Literature has called Lessing's 'inner space fiction,' her work that explores the mental and societal breakdown." That sounds quite interesting...and perhaps intense! I like intense! :)

Have you read any of Doris Lessing's books? This one? Or others? Feel free to leave a comment! I have a feeling this will be an adventure!

Check back July 7 and hopefully, I will have posted a review!

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!