This book chronicles a few years in the childhood of a young girl named Hattie whose mother is a severe manic depressive. Unlike other children, Hattie and her brother, Freddy, operate more as caretakers than as children. They watch their mother and act according to her state of mind for that specific day. Pearl, the cook and maid, acts as surrogate mother, nurturing the siblings with care and love as they grow older, something their mother has never been able to do. Pearl also acts as guardian to the mother, keeping her from leaving the house in a frenzy when she is manic and from killing herself when she is depressed. Although this book was easily read in a day, it was disappointingly bland and somewhat anti-climactic. I can't place exactly what it was - it just didn't build up to a page-turning "what-will-possibly-happen-next" mindset and I grew bored and apathetic towards the end which is highly unusual for me. I would recommend it as a good, thought-provoking, informative book on manic depression but certainly not as entertaining fiction.

The first book I read by Gibbons, Ellen Foster, was really impressive. So when i picked up The Virtuous Woman, I was naturally anticipating more of the same. The story centers around a man named Jack who, at 40, falls in love with and marries Ruby, only 20 and already widowed. According to the back of the book, the main focus is their intense love for each other. While the book was interesting to read and very easily finished in a few hours, I find that I am left with more information about the neighbors, the landlords, Ruby's first marriage, Jack's years of work... everything else except Ruby and Jack's life together. This seems odd considering Gibbons speaks through the couple individually from chapter-to-chapter. One would think I would have ample information about their life together yet I do not feel as if I do. I don't want to say it was a bad book because it kept my attention and I enjoyed the plot. It just seemed a bit bland. Also, Ruby never consults her parents about any of the important decisions in her life (decisions made at 18, 19 and 20) nor does she ever live independently. She just sort of makes decisions without thinking and then hopes for the best. So, although she has a big heart, I can't really respect her as a woman. All in all, I would say it is a good book that could use some polishing to make it a great book.

Trudi Montag, a woman born in Burgdorf, Germany tells her country's story through the end of World War II by telling her own. As the book begins, Trudi's parents attempt to raise a dwarf daughter in a town of "tall" people and Trudi struggles with her differentness and the acceptance of herself as she is despite the cruelty of others' reactions to her. Unfortunately, Hegi spends 150 pages tracing the first seven or so years of this adjustment and it becomes quite boring. As I passed that point, however, Hegi began to introduce the townspeople in a very intimate way, World War II ensued and I found myself intrigued with this story, unable to put it down for days. The comination of recorded history, the use of extensive characterization and the saga of Trudi Montag make Hegi's book an irresistable piece of literature. I would specifically recommend it for those like myself who read too little history and could use a lesson or two.

Charles Callahan is a father of three, a husband of sixteen years and, what appears to be a real family man. Until one day while reading the paper he sees the picture of an old girlfriend from some thirty years ago. What ensues is a rigorous affair and the family's rapid disintegration - unbeknownst to them, of course, until it is already irreparable. Shreve surprises me by glorifying this affair even though four children are involved to say nothing of the perspective spouces. I almost put it down because I am so tired of authors requesting sympathy for the adulterer or adulteress who is, above all, blatantly self-serving. It makes me sick to read about it in this manipulative manner. Nonetheless, the writing is good and the plot stable. Just disturbing. I will say it is not one of Shreve's best.

Frances Benedetto is the wife of a New York City policeman, the mother of 10-year old Robert and a full-time nurse at the hospital. She is also a severely battered woman who lives daily in the fear that anything she may say or do, anything at all, could set her husband, Bobby, off. It all began close to twenty years ago when they were dating, mildly at first so that she thought Bobby just had a bad temper and married him anyway. Over the years, though, it has gotten progressively worse, until he breaks her nose and bruises her up her face horribly (he has always centered his anger on parts of the body fairly easy to cover up). She cannot call the police. He is the police. So she takes her son Robert and "disappears" with the help of a woman from the hospital who relocates physical abuse victims. In her new home in Florida, with her new name and her new identity, Frances and Robert attempt to begin a new chapter in their lives without Bobby. And, although after a few months, they both begin to make new friends, there is always the haunting possibility that they will be found and this time Frances is sure Bobby will kill her. Quindlen created a very emotional Frances yet not irrational. A very intelligent woman who considers all the circumstances, a woman who cares more for her son than herself even though she is suddenly without emotional, physical or financial support from a man. Something she had for seventeen years and most women would attempt to replace as soon as possible. I would certainly pick up another of Quindlen's books if they are anything like Black And Blue.

March Cooper, mother of fifteen-year-old Gwen, has returned to her place of childhood in New England for the funeral of her surrogate mother, leaving her husband in California to tend to his work. Without any regard to her family, March takes up with an old boyfriend, allows her daughter to date a close relative, and leaves hubbie Richard to rot in California. Then, surprise, surprise, her life doesn't stay perfect and the reader is supposed to feel sympathy? This only chance this book ever had was a decent plot because the writing is atrocious and March is a terrible mother and wife represented as a fool for love which makes all of her decisions acceptable? I don't think so.

I found this book quite disappointing. It is about an elderly woman named Lily Maynard and her family. Or what is left of it. She is a divorced mother of three children, technically, although one has sort of disappeared (and the more you read the more you think you might have done the same). Miller highlights Lily's shining moments as an author and the fame and popularity her talents have found. Her son, Alan, takes her in temporarily until there is room for her at the nursing home. She is somewhat unbearable, although, that was not the real problem with this novel. For some reason, unlike Miller's other works, it was just really super boring. I kept reminding myself not to walk away without finishing it. Without at least giving it that much of a chance. At the end, instead of feeling like it was a good book after all, I was just glad I had finished it. Not the worst but certainly not the best.

Coetzee begins his novel as Professor David Lurie begins an affair with a student thirty years his junior. This young girl, Melanie Isaacs, ignites a fire in him that is insatiable and he falls into a lustful sort of trance lasting only as long as they are not found out. When the school board comes to him with accusations and requests a public apology, he responds arrogantly, as if it is they who are the unreasonable party. As a result, he is asked to leave and so leave he does, heading towards the hills of Africa where his daughter, Lucy, awaits him. The events that occur during his stay will change him forever. He becomes involved in a local animal shelter where he assists the lady veterinarian in many procedures, even helping her to put unwanted dogs to sleep, proceeding then to dispose of them so that the veterinarian does not have to. Coetzee notes "curios that a man as selfish as he should be offering himself to the service of dead dogs." I also found the transformation of roles curious and surprising. Roles also switch when Lurie finds himself pleading with his daughter to act with more sense, to react more like a woman naturally would to adverse circumstances. Yet she remains stubborn and foolish just as Lurie had before the school board at the University. Lucy is the one character I found hard to believe. She is so unlike most women in her responses as a victim (I cannot explain further without compromising the story). I have never met a woman like her. At any rate, all in all, I was captivated with the book. It was entertaining, suspenseful, thought-provoking and fully-deserving of its Booker prize. Many thanks to my friend who recommended it to me.

I read this novel in just a few days. It was humorous and serious, entertaining and and heartbeaking all at the same time. Ava Johnson, the protagonist, has just returned home to Idlewood after ten years of living the wild life in Atlanta. Although she plans to stay only the summer with her sister, Joyce, numerous events in both their lives sway her decision and she chooses instead to remain in her home town. Full of life and spunk, Ava is a delightful person to get to know and her sister, Joyce, the sort of woman we all wish we could be, passionate and courageous as well. If ever we are to become better as a human race, it will be because of people like these two sisters.

Anita Shreve does it again with Strange Fits of Passion, a story in which the main character is a victim of violent physical abuse. Maureen English meets Harrold at her place of employment as a reporter in New York City. They immediately begin a relationship and marry within a year or so. Their relationship is characterized by heavy drinking and erotic sexual experimentations which all seem harmless for a time. Until the beatings begin. And they only get worse as time passes. Maureen becomes pregnant and has baby Caroline and, still, the violence continues, spurred on by inane jealousy, over-drinking or losses of temper. Once Maureen runs away only to return scared and ashamed. The second time she leaves, however, after a particularly bad scuffle, is for good. This time she drives with their baby to Northern New Enland where she knows noone and risks discovery less quickly. Yet she lives in the fear that he will eventually find her and, this time, she knows he will kill her. Told from the point of view of a reporter who later writes a book based on Maureen's story, the reader views letters Maureen has written that act as interviews, and later on, the newspaper article written on the basis of these interviews. Scary suspenseful, and emotionally demanding, Shreve has once again won my utmost respect and admiration as a modern novelist.