On my summer trip last year to Bermuda, I stopped in to the Bermuda Bookstore and found Georgia Bottoms, which was a book so hysterical and wonderful, I had to stop back in during my spring break trip to see if I could find another wonderful book. I found The Reading Group. This may be my new favorite book (do I say that about them all?).
The Reading Group tells the story of a newly founded book club. It's members are Nicole, Harriet, Polly, Susan, and Clare. The cast of characters is listed at the beginning of the novel and I have to admit that this scared me off a bit. I was wondering how complex the novel must be to require a list of characters at the beginning, but it wasn't at all. In fact, after about 100 pages in, I think I could've described the cast with no trouble, offering more details than the author. They are that well crafted by Noble.
The book is sectioned off into 12 parts: one for each book that the group reads and discusses. During each section, we get a glimpse into each character's life and what we see is how closely these ladies' lives parallel the books they have chosen to read. It's quite brilliant, really. It also made me realize that when we read, we take our lives into the books. If the book can't teach us something about ourselves, we tend not to like it as much as those books that do. I have felt this for years about the books I read. It was nice to have my thoughts and feelings validated, even if only by fictional characters.
I can not tell you how much I loved reading this story. I felt heart broken for Clare, and angry with Cressida and Elliot, yet by the end I adored their sweet story and their darling Spencer. I hated Gavin and envied Nicole, but only partly. I think I am probably most like Harriet, in more ways than I care to admit (her round figure being tops on that list). I hope that I can be as good of a mom as Polly and I hope that when my own mom gets older I can be as loving as Susan. What I really wish is that I could be the sixth member of The Reading Group.
This lovely story made me seriously contemplate beginning a Reading Group. I am sure that I could find some lovely friends who would read with me. But keeping my reading to one book a month would hard for me. Unless I read the story over and over (like I did with Wonder). Rob doesn't seem to think that I would like being part of a group. He thinks that I'd become bothered by the lack of discussion of the book in favor of discussions of more gossipy things. And since I don't drink wine, he thinks that few book clubs would even invite me. He's probably right. It seems as though these five fictional ladies created their group because they needed an excuse to get out of the house once a month. I don't feel that need, but I do often feel the need to talk about what I read and to hear other's ideas and thoughts. I guess I fulfill my end of things with this blog. But I rarely hear what other people think. Blogs are often one sided that way, I guess. Maybe one day I will be invited to join a group and I can read and talk about what I read. It will be like college all over again, minus the grades. Could be fun.
Read this book. You will love it. I promise.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Sunday, April 20, 2014
#23 Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Before reading this novel, I had no idea that Orphan Trains even existed. Did you? Trains full of orphaned children, heading west, lead by chaperones in search of families for these abandoned children? That part of my American History classes was skipped right on over. All three times, apparently.
This novel was so touching, yet so disturbing, as you can imagine. Not all of the orphans were greeted and welcomed by parents who just wanted a child to love. Some wanted additional workers for their farms. Some wanted mothers' helpers for already large families. Some wanted child labor for their small businesses. While I am very proud to be an American, I am not always proud of my nation's history. Especially where women and children are concerned.
Orphan Train focuses on two parallel stories, those of Vivian and Molly. One was an orphan long ago, one is an orphan now. Their lives and stories intersect and we come to love both women for their strength of character and we come to be proud of all that they overcome and achieve together.
As I read this story, I related most with Vivian. And wanted to strangle Molly, at times. While I was never abandoned by my parents, I did have a rather bumpy childhood due to issues within my home. I had enough guidance from other family members, and enough sense in my own head, to make a decision to be a good girl. I didn't rock the boat (Molly capsized hers), I followed the rules, and I did what I needed to do until I was old enough to leave and be on my own. I was, Vivian (to a certain point). Molly chose a different path for her life and I was so happy that she found Jack, a boy who could see beyond the Goth makeup and clothes and attitude and who was able to provide Molly with an opportunity that changed her life. In turn, she helped to change Vivian's.
This story is amazing. It was an easy read in the sense that the details were rich and full, you could follow the back and forth story with ease, and you never wanted to put the book down once you began. It will make you think and ponder and it will make you sad, at times. But the ending is so full of hope, it will make you smile and glad you read this story.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
This novel was so touching, yet so disturbing, as you can imagine. Not all of the orphans were greeted and welcomed by parents who just wanted a child to love. Some wanted additional workers for their farms. Some wanted mothers' helpers for already large families. Some wanted child labor for their small businesses. While I am very proud to be an American, I am not always proud of my nation's history. Especially where women and children are concerned.
Orphan Train focuses on two parallel stories, those of Vivian and Molly. One was an orphan long ago, one is an orphan now. Their lives and stories intersect and we come to love both women for their strength of character and we come to be proud of all that they overcome and achieve together.
As I read this story, I related most with Vivian. And wanted to strangle Molly, at times. While I was never abandoned by my parents, I did have a rather bumpy childhood due to issues within my home. I had enough guidance from other family members, and enough sense in my own head, to make a decision to be a good girl. I didn't rock the boat (Molly capsized hers), I followed the rules, and I did what I needed to do until I was old enough to leave and be on my own. I was, Vivian (to a certain point). Molly chose a different path for her life and I was so happy that she found Jack, a boy who could see beyond the Goth makeup and clothes and attitude and who was able to provide Molly with an opportunity that changed her life. In turn, she helped to change Vivian's.
This story is amazing. It was an easy read in the sense that the details were rich and full, you could follow the back and forth story with ease, and you never wanted to put the book down once you began. It will make you think and ponder and it will make you sad, at times. But the ending is so full of hope, it will make you smile and glad you read this story.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
#22 Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Yes, I re-read Wonder. I re-read it mostly because I am supposed to lead a book discussion at my daughter's school next week and I felt as though I needed to re-read it to refresh my old memory. But, as I was reading the ending of this amazing story for the second time, crying on the plane to Bermuda, making my entire family shake their heads ("There goes mom again, crying over another book), I realized that if ever there was a book to be read twice, maybe to even be read once a year, Wonder is that book.
I am more touched by the second reading than the first. But for all of the same reasons as the first time. I want to buy Wonder for everyone I know. It is a book we all should read. Even the adults. Perhaps especially the adults.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
I am more touched by the second reading than the first. But for all of the same reasons as the first time. I want to buy Wonder for everyone I know. It is a book we all should read. Even the adults. Perhaps especially the adults.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
#21 Peyton Place by Grace Metalious
I've heard about Peyton Place since I was a little girl. It was the scandalous book people read behind closed doors and never admitted to really reading, even though they did. It was also the scandalous TV show that everyone remembers watching. But, it wasn't until I read The American Wife and read references to Peyton Place that I decided to read it for myself and decide exactly how scandalous it really is.
So, it's not scandalous in the sense that 50 Shades of Grey is scandalous, but I am sure that for a book written in the 60's, it was scandalous. Especially when you think of it in terms of the quotation on the front cover of the book: "the extraordinary new novel that lifts the lid off a small New England town." It seems to have lifted the lid off of any town, anywhere. Every city has dirty laundry. The scary thought for people everywhere is that they are going to be exposed, and that's exactly what Metalious did in her novel--she reminded us that all towns across the nation have scandal. None of us are safe from gossip, sex, and intrigue. Even in the 60's. Especially in 2014.
I will be honest and admit that I googled Peyton Place last weekend as I was trying to get into the book. I read just enough to learn that the book centers around three main characters: Constance, Allison, and Selena. OK. Perhaps these are the main characters, but since there's no chapter/book delineation making these three ladies stand out, they seem no more important to me than the other scores and scores of towns people mentioned in the novel. Allison, maybe, as she is the writer about to put Peyton Place on the map with her new novel as Peyton Place comes to a close and Return to Peyton Place (which I do not plan to read) begins. But, if it weren't for my google search, I'd have had no idea that the book was really about these three ladies. There were sections of the book where these ladies weren't even mentioned. Maybe I am missing something.
I haven't made up my mind if I liked Peyton Place, either. I am glad from an historical standpoint that I read the book. It seems to be just another one of those books from our past that you should read just to say that you did, but it will never end up on my favorites list. This book did not move me, it did not teach me anything (except to fear small towns and gossipy neighbors), and I do not feel as though moving forward in life I will take anything from this book with me as I go. But, am I impressed by the author's gumption? Yes. Did she make a statement with this book? I can only imagine that she did. Was her writing professionally crafted and characters well-developed? Absolutely. From a technical standpoint, this book is exquisite. The first pages alone had me enthralled as Metalious sensually described Indian Summer. But, between the smaller than small font (get this on your e-device and make the font bigger) and the large cast of characters that I could never truly keep straight, it was a tiring read that left me wanting more at the end. But not wanting to read the sequel, so you do the math on that one.
OK. So, I feel about this about the same way I did about reading "The Canterbury Tales" in high school. I'm glad I read it so that I can say that I did and so that I can know what people are talking about when they talk about it. The End.
Happy reading, everyone.
:) Dodie
So, it's not scandalous in the sense that 50 Shades of Grey is scandalous, but I am sure that for a book written in the 60's, it was scandalous. Especially when you think of it in terms of the quotation on the front cover of the book: "the extraordinary new novel that lifts the lid off a small New England town." It seems to have lifted the lid off of any town, anywhere. Every city has dirty laundry. The scary thought for people everywhere is that they are going to be exposed, and that's exactly what Metalious did in her novel--she reminded us that all towns across the nation have scandal. None of us are safe from gossip, sex, and intrigue. Even in the 60's. Especially in 2014.
I will be honest and admit that I googled Peyton Place last weekend as I was trying to get into the book. I read just enough to learn that the book centers around three main characters: Constance, Allison, and Selena. OK. Perhaps these are the main characters, but since there's no chapter/book delineation making these three ladies stand out, they seem no more important to me than the other scores and scores of towns people mentioned in the novel. Allison, maybe, as she is the writer about to put Peyton Place on the map with her new novel as Peyton Place comes to a close and Return to Peyton Place (which I do not plan to read) begins. But, if it weren't for my google search, I'd have had no idea that the book was really about these three ladies. There were sections of the book where these ladies weren't even mentioned. Maybe I am missing something.
I haven't made up my mind if I liked Peyton Place, either. I am glad from an historical standpoint that I read the book. It seems to be just another one of those books from our past that you should read just to say that you did, but it will never end up on my favorites list. This book did not move me, it did not teach me anything (except to fear small towns and gossipy neighbors), and I do not feel as though moving forward in life I will take anything from this book with me as I go. But, am I impressed by the author's gumption? Yes. Did she make a statement with this book? I can only imagine that she did. Was her writing professionally crafted and characters well-developed? Absolutely. From a technical standpoint, this book is exquisite. The first pages alone had me enthralled as Metalious sensually described Indian Summer. But, between the smaller than small font (get this on your e-device and make the font bigger) and the large cast of characters that I could never truly keep straight, it was a tiring read that left me wanting more at the end. But not wanting to read the sequel, so you do the math on that one.
OK. So, I feel about this about the same way I did about reading "The Canterbury Tales" in high school. I'm glad I read it so that I can say that I did and so that I can know what people are talking about when they talk about it. The End.
Happy reading, everyone.
:) Dodie
Monday, March 17, 2014
#20 American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
I was able to finish American Wife this morning, on what I hope and pray to be the very last snow day of 2014. I have had enough! Of snow...not reading.
American Wife has been sitting on my shelf for probably close to 2 years. It was a sale book at Barnes and Nobel and the cover was so beautiful, it came home with me and then sat on my shelf until a few weeks ago. If I had known that the wife portrayed in the book was based on Laura Bush, I'd have read it the moment I bought it. I just love Laura Bush--I think she was a wonderful First Lady. I may love her more now that I have caught a tiny glimpse into her life before she stepped foot into The White House. But, for those of you who are not a fan of this particular First Lady, you should know what you are getting into before opening the cover of this book.
The book is divided into sections, each based on the home where the American Wife, Alice Lindgren Blackwell, lived at that time. The final section is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And this final section, as I was warned by other reviewers of this text, is dull and boring. The rest of the book is lively, endearing, and a wonderful read. It is a long book-554 pages. And my copy is rather heavy. You might want to get an e-copy of this one.
Because I do not like books that I can not take something from, I am always searching as I read for the lesson or the moral that will give me something to keep in my heart long after the cover of the book has been closed. What I took from American Wife is a new found appreciation for my life. My normal life. My life where I can say what I want, can wear what I want, can go where I want, and can believe what I want. And for the most part, nobody cares. OK, yes...I am a teacher so I have to be careful of what I say and do and wear, but only publicly. (Yes, I gave up Facebook two years ago because I was worried about offending parents or of not friending parents who may have requested this relationship with me, but considering that not being on FB has made me happier in my life than I ever was while a part of it, I don't think I am having to give up too much because I teach. And since I have less than 3 months left of said teaching career, I think I will be able to manage.) But, poor Alice spent the bulk of her life trying to reconcile who she really was with who the public, and her husband Charlie, wanted her to be. She had to temper everything and she had to base her life on outward appearances. Yuck. That is not the life for me. I have always been much happier blending in with the wallpaper than being in the middle of a room. Right now I am so grateful that the Rob I married, who wanted to be a senator someday, turned in to the 40 year old Rob who is thriving inside an insurance company. Being in front of the public, very watchful eye is not where I'd like to be. Funny thing is, I am fairly certain Alice would like to be on my side of that eye, too. With her book. I think she and I could've been good friends.
I never dog ear book pages. I remember thinking as a child that doing so would hurt the book, but I dog eared page 321. (I bet Alice, the librarian, would never have dog eared book pages either.) Because of these lines from the story:
Oh, how different my life would have been had I not grown up in the same house as my grandmother, how much narrower and blander! She was the reason I was a reader, and being a reader was what had made me myself; it had given me the gifts of curiosity and sympathy, and awareness of the world as an odd and vibrant and contradictory place, and it had made me unafraid of its oddness and vibrancy and contradictions.
These lines made me desperately miss my grandmother, my father's mother, Violet Belle Kuykendall Denison, the women who helped mold me into the woman I am today. In fact, reading about Alice's relationship with her grandmother throughout American Wife made me miss mine so very much. And when I read these lines, I couldn't help but think of her. She was many things for me, but most of all she was my reading partner. I recall going to the library with her each week when I spent summers with her and I remember how she made books seem to be so magical and so special. They were to be treasured and protected. I can close my eyes and see us both tucked into her big bed each night (I shared a room with her during the summers), she on her side, and me on mine. Both of us reading until we just couldn't keep our eyes open anymore and then we'd turn out the light, way past the time when anyone else in the house was awake. She was a gem, that amazing lady. I am so grateful that I was able to call her my grandmother.
You will like reading about Emilie, Alice's grandmother, too. She was a lady before her time. It was because of her that Alice felt so many things that she wasn't supposed to feel and to think so many things that she wasn't supposed to think. Emilie just may have molded her into the First Lady she turned out to be. A First Lady with compassion and caring for the rest of the American people. A First Lady who was realistic and human. A First Lady women like me could relate to. Perhaps that's why I liked Laura Bush so much. In another time and another place, I would've liked to have been the Kindergarten teacher to her librarian.
Happy Reading everyone!
:) Dodie
American Wife has been sitting on my shelf for probably close to 2 years. It was a sale book at Barnes and Nobel and the cover was so beautiful, it came home with me and then sat on my shelf until a few weeks ago. If I had known that the wife portrayed in the book was based on Laura Bush, I'd have read it the moment I bought it. I just love Laura Bush--I think she was a wonderful First Lady. I may love her more now that I have caught a tiny glimpse into her life before she stepped foot into The White House. But, for those of you who are not a fan of this particular First Lady, you should know what you are getting into before opening the cover of this book.
The book is divided into sections, each based on the home where the American Wife, Alice Lindgren Blackwell, lived at that time. The final section is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And this final section, as I was warned by other reviewers of this text, is dull and boring. The rest of the book is lively, endearing, and a wonderful read. It is a long book-554 pages. And my copy is rather heavy. You might want to get an e-copy of this one.
Because I do not like books that I can not take something from, I am always searching as I read for the lesson or the moral that will give me something to keep in my heart long after the cover of the book has been closed. What I took from American Wife is a new found appreciation for my life. My normal life. My life where I can say what I want, can wear what I want, can go where I want, and can believe what I want. And for the most part, nobody cares. OK, yes...I am a teacher so I have to be careful of what I say and do and wear, but only publicly. (Yes, I gave up Facebook two years ago because I was worried about offending parents or of not friending parents who may have requested this relationship with me, but considering that not being on FB has made me happier in my life than I ever was while a part of it, I don't think I am having to give up too much because I teach. And since I have less than 3 months left of said teaching career, I think I will be able to manage.) But, poor Alice spent the bulk of her life trying to reconcile who she really was with who the public, and her husband Charlie, wanted her to be. She had to temper everything and she had to base her life on outward appearances. Yuck. That is not the life for me. I have always been much happier blending in with the wallpaper than being in the middle of a room. Right now I am so grateful that the Rob I married, who wanted to be a senator someday, turned in to the 40 year old Rob who is thriving inside an insurance company. Being in front of the public, very watchful eye is not where I'd like to be. Funny thing is, I am fairly certain Alice would like to be on my side of that eye, too. With her book. I think she and I could've been good friends.
I never dog ear book pages. I remember thinking as a child that doing so would hurt the book, but I dog eared page 321. (I bet Alice, the librarian, would never have dog eared book pages either.) Because of these lines from the story:
Oh, how different my life would have been had I not grown up in the same house as my grandmother, how much narrower and blander! She was the reason I was a reader, and being a reader was what had made me myself; it had given me the gifts of curiosity and sympathy, and awareness of the world as an odd and vibrant and contradictory place, and it had made me unafraid of its oddness and vibrancy and contradictions.
These lines made me desperately miss my grandmother, my father's mother, Violet Belle Kuykendall Denison, the women who helped mold me into the woman I am today. In fact, reading about Alice's relationship with her grandmother throughout American Wife made me miss mine so very much. And when I read these lines, I couldn't help but think of her. She was many things for me, but most of all she was my reading partner. I recall going to the library with her each week when I spent summers with her and I remember how she made books seem to be so magical and so special. They were to be treasured and protected. I can close my eyes and see us both tucked into her big bed each night (I shared a room with her during the summers), she on her side, and me on mine. Both of us reading until we just couldn't keep our eyes open anymore and then we'd turn out the light, way past the time when anyone else in the house was awake. She was a gem, that amazing lady. I am so grateful that I was able to call her my grandmother.
You will like reading about Emilie, Alice's grandmother, too. She was a lady before her time. It was because of her that Alice felt so many things that she wasn't supposed to feel and to think so many things that she wasn't supposed to think. Emilie just may have molded her into the First Lady she turned out to be. A First Lady with compassion and caring for the rest of the American people. A First Lady who was realistic and human. A First Lady women like me could relate to. Perhaps that's why I liked Laura Bush so much. In another time and another place, I would've liked to have been the Kindergarten teacher to her librarian.
Happy Reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Monday, March 10, 2014
#19: Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close
I had hoped that Girls in White Dresses would be a light, fun story to read that would take me away from all of the historical fiction I seemed to be surrounding myself with lately. Well...it was light and easy to read, but I am not sure I really know what happened. It sort of reminded me of Seinfeld...a show about nothing, but a show that captivated me just the same. I liked the book and I certainly loved to read about people I will never be: young, single, successful, New York/The Hamptons inhabitants. But aside from people getting involved, married, and divorced, nothing much else happened. But, that's OK. I think that's what the story was supposed to be about: a group of friends who left college, got married, or tried to, had kids, or tried to, and then (some) got divorced. A story about real life, I guess.
My only issue with the book, and I take full responsibility for this as I do with all of my issues with books (after all, these people are clearly more talented than I--someone who merely reads other people's books), is that I couldn't keep the circle of friends straight. There are so many characters that I just couldn't remember who was who and who married who. And, each chapter was divided into such tiny little sections that I could barely learn something new about a character before Close moved on.
So, if you want a 20-something girlfriend-boyfriend book (that doesn't really have closure at the end) that will entertain you, but not boggle down your mind, this is the book for you.
For those of you who like me to cut to the chase: it was not a favorite of mine, nor will it be making the top ten list.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
My only issue with the book, and I take full responsibility for this as I do with all of my issues with books (after all, these people are clearly more talented than I--someone who merely reads other people's books), is that I couldn't keep the circle of friends straight. There are so many characters that I just couldn't remember who was who and who married who. And, each chapter was divided into such tiny little sections that I could barely learn something new about a character before Close moved on.
So, if you want a 20-something girlfriend-boyfriend book (that doesn't really have closure at the end) that will entertain you, but not boggle down your mind, this is the book for you.
For those of you who like me to cut to the chase: it was not a favorite of mine, nor will it be making the top ten list.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
#18: The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
I feel as though I may be experiencing an Historical Fiction period in my reading life. It seems that almost every book I have read lately (Roses, Somerset, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, Calling Me Home, Thousand Splendid Suns) has some ties to the past, particularly the 1800's and slavery. Reading The Invention of Wings certainly fits that bill!
The Invention of Wings is Sue Monk Kidd's fictional interpretation of Sarah Grimke, a real southern woman from South Carolina who despised slavery and who had significant issues with the traditional expectations for women in the early 1800's. The story details her life from age 11, as well as the life of her maid Hetty Handful (better known as Handful throughout of the story). Their stories are told in alternating chapters and they really are amazing stories. As would be expected of such a story, both women are searching desperately for freedom, just in very different ways. The are both looking to find their wings.
I loved that after the novel had concluded, Kidd gives us great, detailed information about the real Sarah Grimke and her family. I would not advise reading this first, as it really will ruin the story for you. There's so much of her real life in the plot of the novel that it might spoil things to read the historical account ahead of time. The interesting part of the history, however, is that Hetty is only mentioned briefly in most accounts as simply being the maid for Sarah. That's where her tiny part of history ends. What we read in the novel, therefore, is all a creation of Kidd, and it is brilliant. The hours and hours of research Kidd must've put into the writing of this book is commendable.
As I have written before when detailing my thoughts about these historical fiction works, I just can't imagine the daily struggles these women had to endure. Obviously, the hardships slaves had to endure are unspeakable, but even the daily lives of the white women are hard for me to now imagine. Now I know that I am writing this in 2014, a time when I can truly be anything I want to be--there are virtually no limits, provided that I have the financial means. This simple fact makes it so hard for me to imagine living at a time where my sole purpose in life was to be pretty, land a husband, and then make babies. Can you imagine, then, the number of women who were miserable? It couldn't just have been Sarah and her sister Nina. I'm sure that they were just the brave ones who stood up for themselves and spoke out against a reality they found abhorrent. While I certainly love being a mother and I love my husband and our life together, if I were dropped back in time, I doubt I'd fit into those typical female roles very well. Perhaps that is just my modern mind talking, but after reading this book, I no longer feel as though those Southern ladies of the past had an easy life going off to social events and letting others raise their children. I bet they would envy my crazy life of carpools, juggling work and home, and the fact that I own a home and a car! Life is all about perspective and The Invention of Wings certainly has functioned to change mine. I am grateful for my wings.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
The Invention of Wings is Sue Monk Kidd's fictional interpretation of Sarah Grimke, a real southern woman from South Carolina who despised slavery and who had significant issues with the traditional expectations for women in the early 1800's. The story details her life from age 11, as well as the life of her maid Hetty Handful (better known as Handful throughout of the story). Their stories are told in alternating chapters and they really are amazing stories. As would be expected of such a story, both women are searching desperately for freedom, just in very different ways. The are both looking to find their wings.
I loved that after the novel had concluded, Kidd gives us great, detailed information about the real Sarah Grimke and her family. I would not advise reading this first, as it really will ruin the story for you. There's so much of her real life in the plot of the novel that it might spoil things to read the historical account ahead of time. The interesting part of the history, however, is that Hetty is only mentioned briefly in most accounts as simply being the maid for Sarah. That's where her tiny part of history ends. What we read in the novel, therefore, is all a creation of Kidd, and it is brilliant. The hours and hours of research Kidd must've put into the writing of this book is commendable.
As I have written before when detailing my thoughts about these historical fiction works, I just can't imagine the daily struggles these women had to endure. Obviously, the hardships slaves had to endure are unspeakable, but even the daily lives of the white women are hard for me to now imagine. Now I know that I am writing this in 2014, a time when I can truly be anything I want to be--there are virtually no limits, provided that I have the financial means. This simple fact makes it so hard for me to imagine living at a time where my sole purpose in life was to be pretty, land a husband, and then make babies. Can you imagine, then, the number of women who were miserable? It couldn't just have been Sarah and her sister Nina. I'm sure that they were just the brave ones who stood up for themselves and spoke out against a reality they found abhorrent. While I certainly love being a mother and I love my husband and our life together, if I were dropped back in time, I doubt I'd fit into those typical female roles very well. Perhaps that is just my modern mind talking, but after reading this book, I no longer feel as though those Southern ladies of the past had an easy life going off to social events and letting others raise their children. I bet they would envy my crazy life of carpools, juggling work and home, and the fact that I own a home and a car! Life is all about perspective and The Invention of Wings certainly has functioned to change mine. I am grateful for my wings.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)