Well, I'm reporting about a book I did not finish. I used to finish every. single. book. I ever read, but about 10 years ago I gave up on that. If the book doesn't speak to me after about 50 pages, I'm out. I gave this book 64 pages. And then I gave up. The... Continue Reading →
The marriage of Celestial and Roy is mediated by bars: prison bars. They are a young black couple who is torn apart when Roy is falsely accused of rape (Celestial was with him when it was supposed to have happened) and he is sentenced to 12 years in prison. After he is incarcerated (a very... Continue Reading →
About ten years ago, I was invited to an awkward dinner at my mother’s house to meet the children of her new husband, number three. They had met and married in a matter of weeks, and I felt the dinner was a farce. My husband, young daughter, and I attended reluctantly. Conversation felt stilted, and... Continue Reading →
Can marriage survive cultural expectations? That is the central question of Stay with Me (2017) by Ayobami Adebayo, the June 2018 read for the Literary Wives Series, hosted by these bloggers. Check out their posts on this book. Naomi of Consumed by Ink Kay of What Me Read Lynn of Smoke & Mirrors We attempt to understand and explore... Continue Reading →
I’m sure most of us would immediately answer “no” to the question the title poses. I do. I think self-care and self-love are important in order to be able to share love and affection with others, but I don’t think selfishness leads to happiness. However, one of the characters of Anita Brookner’s Hotel Du Lac... Continue Reading →
I’ve always thought that Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of American author F. Scott Fitzgerald, was crazy. In a bad way. I dismissed her and often thought negatively of her. This point of view is usually reinforced by what I’ve read about her, mostly fictional appearances, like in The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. But thanks to... Continue Reading →
I began this novel with a sigh. After reading the first few pages, I thought, “Not another novel written from a female perspective that is all about how important her husband is.” I wanted to read something about an actual wife, not a wife just telling us about her husband. Well, it turned out that... Continue Reading →
It has been a long time since I’ve cried while reading a book. However, it happened recently when I finished The Light Between Oceans (2012) by M. L. Stedman. I did not just leak a few tears. I sobbed. I found out about the book from a movie trailer. The book is a movie now,... Continue Reading →
Read previous chapters here. This is the final chapter. Chapter 16 Leda enters the hospital with Diane on her heels. She thinks her daughter is talking to her, trying to calm her, but she does not hear anything. She only sees the reception desk and the long hall beyond the doors that are closed to... Continue Reading →
To read previous chapters, click here. Chapter 15 Leda is proud of her fifteen-year-old grandson Michael. He is the only one who is not squeamish and who does not flinch when helping his grandfather. The others visit with Walt, of course, but when it is time to help wipe drool or give medication, the boys... Continue Reading →
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 