I didn’t read Wife 22 (2012) by Melanie Gideon. I tried. I did. But I couldn’t get past the first chapter.
I also spent this weekend taking comprehensive exams for my Ph.D. program, which I’m finishing up this morning, so if that works as an excuse for today’s lack of a post, there it is. I’ve got until 11 a.m. this morning to turn in both of the essays I’ve been working on this weekend to prove that I know my breadth and depth in the field of professional and technical communication.
But don’t let my lack of enthusiasm for this book prevent you from joining the conversation with the other hosts of the Literary Wives series. In this series, we read books with the word “wife” in the title and ask the following questions.
1. What does this book say about wives or about the experience of being a wife?
2. In what way does this woman define “wife”—or in what way is she defined by “wife”?
Visit the pages of the other participating bloggers to find out more about Wife 22.
Ariel of One Little Library
Carolyn O. of Rosemary and Reading Glasses
Cecilia of Only You
Lynn of Smoke & Mirrors
Kay of What Me Read
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 
cool Em very
Thanks!
Oh no! I’m sorry you didn’t like it. I hope your exams go well today!!
I just finished! I hope they get graded soon and that I did what I was supposed to do. Thank you!
Oh, good luck with your exams!!
Thank you!
Hi, Emily, did you not read it because you didn’t like it or because you just didn’t have time. I have to admit, I don’t think I would have picked it if I had known just how chick littish it was, although for very light reading, it was okay.
Both. I tried to read it and couldn’t get into it, and then it was like, “Well, I really need to study for my exams and write my dissertation proposal anyway…”
Well, I can’t say that you missed that much. It was more of the type of thing you read when you are at the beach! A little better than the general run of chick lit because it was funny.
Wishing you all the best with your essays and exams, Emily. You’ll do brilliantly. I know it!
Thank you! I’ve convinced myself that what I’ve written doesn’t make sense and that I’m going to fail. Let’s hope not.
Oh, I’m sure that’s not the case! From what I’ve seen on your blog and your articles, your writing is always articulate and fluid.
How long do you have to wait before you get the results?
A week! I hope it is a short week.
Good luck with everything! I think you have a pretty good excuse. 🙂
Thanks! I just sent them in…
Good luck on your exams. Will we be addressing you as Dr. Emily soon? 🙂
Not until April 2016, if all goes as planned. 🙂
Good luck! And it will be okay — you’re brilliant!
I agree with Kay, by the way — you’re not missing much here, though for the beach it would be pleasant reading.
Perhaps I’ll pick it back up the next time I go to the beach! Thanks for your kind words.
I hope you’ll let us all know when you triumphantly pass!
Will do! I hope to know within a week.
Understandable that you didn’t have time. My husband just completed this process several years ago and it is all-consuming and grueling, at best! I’m certain you will be at the top of the heap!! 🙂
Thanks!
Emily, best wishes on your Ph.D essays and test. I hope they went well and you are happy with your efforts. I am sure you are glad to have those parts behind you. As for the book, is the title indicative of the plot – 22 wives? All the best, BTG
Thank you. I’m glad this weekend is over! I’m not sure what Wife 22 means. Perhaps some of the other bloggers could jump in on this question.
Bth5885: Your question regarding the title… Actually, when Alice agrees to participate in an anonymous survey about marriage, she is assigned “wife 22” as her identifier for that survey. Now…22 wives would have definitely been a totally different book, I’m pretty sure! 😀
best wishes for your comps., a massive accomplishment.
Many thanks!
Good luck and Congratulations on your comprehensive exam and pursuing your PhD! What an accomplishment! I’ve done it for a Master’s degree, and I’m thinking about pursuing my own PhD in Folklore someday. I remember what those essays and tests were like, and for a PhD — Whew! — they’ve got to be at least 100x harder. That is definitely a viable reason for not reading the novel. 🙂
Thanks! You should pursue a PhD. Lots of fun! 😉 Folklore would be awesome. We have a decent folklore program at the Master’s level at my school, but I know there are PhD programs elsewhere that are pretty great.
I’ve been looking into the University of Missouri because they also have a Master’s of Library Science that I’d like to pursue before jumping into the Folklore PhD. Which school do you attend?
I’m at Utah State University. I think there’s a folklore PhD program in Indiana…
Hmm, very interesting! I’m into exploring options. I’ll look into them. Thanks!