The Amateur Marriage, Anne Tyler, 2004I Feel Bad About My Neck, Nora Ephron, 2006Beside the Sea, Veronique Olmi, 2001 (tr. Adriana Hunter) I’m slowly making my way through Anne Tyler’s backlist, hoping I can make it last the rest of my life because each one of her books is such a joy to read. ThisContinue reading “February Round-Up”
Tag Archives: women's literature
Animal
By Lisa Taddeo, published 2021 I don’t think I’ve ever used the phrase “tour-de-force” but it’s what comes to mind with this book. I initially had a difficult time getting into the novel because the narrator is a bit strange and probably a mentally ill. Joan is a bit like Eleanor Oliphant except that sheContinue reading “Animal”
Goodbye, Ramona
By Montserrat Roig, 1972; translated 2022 by Maria Cristina Hall and Megan Berkobien I had the pleasure of discussing this book with one of the translators, Maria Cristina Hall, at the invitation of its publisher Fum D’Estampa Press. Until this year, I had not heard of Montserrat Roig, and as this is the first translationContinue reading “Goodbye, Ramona”
I Lock My Door Upon Myself
‘Oh–but I didn’t really want them, I thought you did.’ By Joyce Carol Oates, 1990 This book had escaped me, although I’m a big fan of Joyce Carol Oates, until Mother Tongue magazine shared it on Instagram. It’s the story of Calla, told by her granddaughter in mythical-like tangents that keep you turning the pagesContinue reading “I Lock My Door Upon Myself”
Sorrow and Bliss
By Meg Mason, 2020 This book comes with all the accolades, and with good reason. It’s funny, heart-wrenching, page-turning, and thought-provoking. If that’s not enough of a reason to read it, read it for Ingrid, Martha’s hilarious sister. Martha’s life has been messy — she has an erratic mother, she struggles with depression, and hasContinue reading “Sorrow and Bliss”
Still Born
By Guadalupe Nettel (2020), tr. Rosalind Harvey in 2022 While the title is evocative, it is appropriate to the story. So much so, I would argue no other title would do it justice. In this novel, a child is not still born, as in delivered in death. Instead, the child is born — alive —Continue reading “Still Born”
Shelf Life
By Livia Franchini, 2019 Ruth has just been dumped by her long-time boyfriend. She thinks it might be the end of the world, and her dry, coarse narration makes it difficult to root for her. But over the course of this unique novel we come to understand why Ruth is the way she is, andContinue reading “Shelf Life”
The School for Good Mothers
By Jessamine Chan, 2022 I wanted to love this book. It’s title and description promises precisely the kind of work I am calling for in my PhD thesis: stories that tell the truth about motherhood, that call into question the so-called “maternal instinct.” And this novel does exactly those things. However, an important aspect ofContinue reading “The School for Good Mothers”
The Farm
By Joanne Ramos, published 2019 The Farm is a place where surrogates for the super-rich live for nine months, kept safe and healthy — and under constant surveillance — until they deliver babies. They must adhere to an exercise regimen, play music for their bellies, and stick to a strict healthy diet. Jane, a singleContinue reading “The Farm”
A Town Called Solace
A Town Called Solace, by Mary Lawson, was published in 2021 I knew nothing about this book when I bought it, other than it was recommended by Anne Tyler, one of my top five favorite writers of all time. And I can see why Lawson’s writing appeals to Tyler. It is similar in many waysContinue reading “A Town Called Solace”
Monica Cardenas 