52 in 52

Thursday, January 2, 2014

#2: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

My high school English teachers will find it funny that I read this book, The Paris Wife, a fictional account of the first love and marriage of Ernest Hemingway, an author that I could've lived without in high school. Perhaps had I been able to read this book first, I would've been able to muddle my way through his fiction with a bit more tolerance.

The Paris Wife is brilliant. Truly a marvelous work. One that had me wanting to re-read A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises (but NOT The Old Man and the Sea, ugh...) and had me thinking about and reflecting upon my role as mother and wife. Now, that's a compelling novel, don't you think?

While I really have no plans to re-read those books, I do find myself thinking a lot about Hadley Richardson Hemingway and her evolution as a woman in this novel. While the book is about Hemingway, it is clearly more about Hadley, Hemingway's Paris wife. I googled Hemingway about 100 pages into the book, Hadley, too, in order to help me decipher fact from fiction. Hadley was Hemingway's first of four wives, but she was the one who made him Hemingway. She helped him rise above and get his career launched. She sacrificed everything in the process, except Motherhood. He thanked her by leaving her for another woman. Nice.

The story is detailed and every word is so precious that I found myself not reading as fast as I typically do. It was a slower-paced story, but never boring. It was calming and soothing and I found myself wanting to leave my work and work only towards the raising of my family and the supporting of my husband in his work. Hadley found it to be quite satisfying, in most cases, why shouldn't I, as well? Again, I re-iterate how compelling this book was for me. It had me re-thinking my goals as wife, mother, and woman.

At the very end of the book, there are book club questions and one in particular made me stop and think:

In many ways, Hadley is a very different person at the end of the novel than the girl she was when she first encountered Ernest by chance at a party. How do you understand her trajectory and transformation? Are there any ways she essentially doesn't change?

Wow. What a question. But one that I'd like to answer here. I understand her transformation because I, like Hadley, married in my twenties, and was a wife before I was a woman. I was married at 22, before finishing college (which I did the following spring) and before I began teaching. I was so excited to be married and to be someone's wife and partner, I didn't really care much about me. Honestly. It was more important to me to be a part of something than for me to exist individually. I think Hadley was the same way. She loved Ernest so very much that she just wanted to be with him. It didn't matter where they were or what they were doing, just that they were together. But then, they moved to Paris and she was alone. She had to find her place in the world. She didn't work, she didn't even cook or clean their tiny apartment. She existed to support Ernest, to be his guide, his rock, and to talk him through life when he needed her guidance. He loved her very much for being so supportive and wise. But in the end, that wasn't enough for him. Now, I, unlike Hadley, worked. It was a different time, after all. I taught school for five years before Rob and I began a family and during that time, I found my place in the world. I was a wife, but I was also a teacher. I worked teaching little ones to read and write. I loved my work--it helped define me. It gave me a purpose. It gave me something to focus on while Rob was busy doing his job. He had a purpose and, now, so did I. I think for Hadley, having her son helped to give her purpose. Hadley raised Bumby by herself, with the help of their cook/maid. Hemingway had no time for his son. He was too focused on his writing. Hadley and Ernest were only married about five years, so in the time it took me to establish a career and have a baby, Hadley and Ernest had been married, had a son, and had already separated. She, like so many young wives, took her job of supporting her husband very seriously. She thought little about herself and what would make her happy and focused instead on her husband. And, while she was so busy loving Ernest, he found someone else, someone knew, to love. I can only imagine her heartbreak.

So, back to the question...I can understand her transformation because what woman, in 1920 or in 2014, doesn't change over the course of their marriage? I understand Hadley's transformation because I feel that she grew up while being married, just like me. I think a lot of women find themselves over the course of their marriage, whether it be 5 years or 50 years. We all grow up; we have to. We discover what's important and what's not and we can only hope that our marriage lasts or that we can find our place outside of it if it doesn't.

Hadley's love for Ernest never changes. But, because she was not willing to share Ernest, her marriage ended. Even when they separate, she clearly still loves and respects the man who broke her heart and wants him to have what he needs to be happy in life. She knows she couldn't have been all that he needed, but she also knows what she wants, and what she always wanted, and works to find that after separating from Hemingway. Her love for her son never waivers and it's this goodness, this strength of character, that makes you love Hadley, and makes you feel so proud of her choices and actions throughout the entire novel.

At the end of the novel, Hadley acknowledges that she was the first wife, The Paris Wife, and that three more wives followed, all trying to give Ernest what he wanted and trying to be the perfect wife for him. Reading this made me sad, and a bit panicked. What wife doesn't fear being the one who was not good enough, supportive enough, or attractive enough to hold the interest of her husband? Of being the "First Wife," the one who supports and builds a family and then gets left behind. Hadley took comfort in knowing that it wasn't her, that Ernest just wasn't able to find anyone who could hold his attention forever. I'll be honest, I get scared of becoming the First Wife. I can only hope that it never happens.

I have to admit that I finished The Paris Wife several days ago, in December. Technically, this is a 2013 read. But, because of the day to day demands of life, I haven't been able to blog until today and I am glad for that. The Paris Wife will be at the top of my top ten list for 2014, rather than #15 of the 2013 list. It deserves a place at the top.

The Paris Wife is amazing. Read it.

Happy reading, everyone!

:) Dodie

#1 Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

I read Mary Poppins in anticipation of the new Disney movie "Saving Mr. Banks." I have seen the movie version of Mary Poppins more times than I can count. It was not only one of my mother's favorite Disney films, it was one of my girls, so I've watched it a lot over the years. I had not, however, ever read the book, and did so, as I often do, to make sure that I knew the real story before watching the film adaptation.

All I can say about the story is that reading Mary Poppins does not give you enough of the story to compare anything to anything. Clearly, I needed to have read all of the Mary Poppins books, and there are several. Disney must have taken them all and rolled them into one story when they created their movie. Mr. Banks really isn't even mentioned in the first book and he is clearly the focus of the movie.

Aside from that fact, and that there are actually four Banks' children (Jane, Michael, Barbara and John--a set of infant twins), the book is quite different from the film and it is no wonder that it took Mrs. Travers 20 years to agree to a movie.

I read the book also hoping that I could read it to my KG students. I am not sure that children in 2014 would understand it. There's just too much imagination involved.

I will admit that I have no plans to read the remaining Mary Poppins's books. I find that I like her movie character much more than her literary one.

Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie

Monday, December 16, 2013

#52: The Supreme Macaroni Company by Adriana Trigiani

The Supreme Macaroni Company is the third and final book in the Valentine series by Trigiani, and I am sad to not have any more books about Valentine to read. She is a wonderful character and if she were real, I'd strive to be her friend. I just love her realness.

I have adored Trigiani's books since Big Stone Gap came out years ago (and I have plans to re-read that series in anticipation of the upcoming movie) and while my favorite remains The Shoemaker's Wife, the series staring Valentine takes second place for me. Her story is a romantic, heart-felt struggle--a struggle to find her place in a family where she just doesn't quite fit the mold, a struggle to do what she wants to do in life, and a struggle to find and hold onto love.

The ending of her story, which I shall only hint about as to not be a spoiler, was a timely reminder for me that life is short and unpredictable. And, while change is scary, sometimes it must be embraced and life must be lived while you have the chance to live it. I don't want to be Valentine, re-thinking her choices and wondering "what if" every step of the way. I don't want to wish for one more day with my husband, or for him to wonder why I loved my work more than my him and my family. As much as I love Valentine, she is a good character to learn from and to be wiser than--not a character to emulate. In my opinion.

So, while Valentine's story ends, perhaps she is just the muse I need to begin my own. Well..to begin Chapter Two of My Story.

Happy reading!
:) Dodie

p.s. This completes my 52 for the year! Woo-hoo! Yet, I just started a new book yesterday. So, who knows how many I will read before January 1, 2014.

p.p.s. Look for my Top 10 List soon!

#51: Fever by Maya Banks

Fever, by Maya Banks makes me realize, yet again, that some sequels are worth skipping. It was unrealistic and not worth my time to read. Therefore, it is also not worth my time to blog about.

Skip this one. And probably the third in the series. Although I am curious...

Happy reading!
:) Dodie

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

#50: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I went to see "Catching Fire" last week and was amazed at how little I remembered of the book. Of course, I did read it two years ago. I can barely recall events from yesterday, so it was not really a wonder that I couldn't remember. Even sadder was that I absolutely could not recall what Mockingjay was about. So I re-read it. In a day.

You can always check my blog to see what I thought the first time (I actually haven't done this yet, but will when I am done blogging), but the second time around was truly gratifying. Perhaps because I could imagine the characters, the setting, and the events, thanks to the amazing movies that these glorious books became. The book was amazing and well worth reading for a second time.

While reading Mockingjay, I read an article a friend sent me about Peeta and how he was the girl in his relationship with Katniss, while she was the boy. In other words, their gender roles were reversed. Peeta was always acting on his feelings, while Katniss was always trying to save him and rescue him. Never is this more true that in the epilogue of Mockingjay. I, personally, like their relationship and find that it is realistically balanced. Katniss and Gale and way better friends than they would ever be as a romantic match.

Leave it to me to gloss over the blood, gore, and killing, and move straight into the epilogue, but I really can't focus on that part of the book. It's enough to read it twice; I do not need to re-hash it all here. Bottom line: there was a rebellion and people died. Luckily for us, the people needed to help Panem move forward did not. Phew!

Suzanne Collins deserves every bit of the praise and acclaim she's getting for these phenomenal novels. I am waiting not so patiently for the movie version of Mockingjay.

Happy reading!
:) Dodie

#49: Release Me by J. Kenner

I am sitting down to blog about this novel, a book I tore through in two days, and for the life of me I can't recall a single thing about the book. Either I am getting old, which I am, or there's little that's memorable about the text. I guess I need to skin the book and job my memory...

...ah...now I remember...

Release Me is the story of Damien Stark (well...one of the stories...this is apparently one of three stories) and Nikki, the girl with whom Damien is obsessed. Damien is a former tennis star turned scientist; Nikki is a former Texas beauty queen, turned want-to-be scientist/app designer. Damien met Nikki once when she was young; Nikki has been in love with Damien ever since. They finally stumble into each other at an art gala and the story of their intense love affair begins.

While I was told that I had to read this book because of the intense love affair, I was actually quite taken by the story line of Damien's indecent proposal for Nikki to earn a million dollars for posing nude for a painting for his new home. Her face would never be seen; only Damien, Nikki, and the artist (who had to sign a legal document declaring that he'd never reveal the model's identity) would know she did it. A million dollars would help start up Nikki's app business. What ever is a girl to do?

You will have to read to find out...I guess I am going to have to break down and read the next book at some point. Maybe when we go to Bermuda over spring break. This would be a good book to throw in my beach bag while I bask in the glow of the pink Bermudian sand. I have a queue of books to read that's piling up. So little time and so much to read.

Happy reading!
:) Dodie