The 19th Wife
I give you this very large picture of the book cover to show you how impressive this book is upon first observation. You just can’t tell a book by its cover… I think David Ebershoff is a fine writer, and one whose style I find lulling and seductive. I was drawn into this novel about Mormanism and the foundational doctrine of polygomy wanting to know more…and, so became just like the crowds during the mid 1800’s who were mob-like in their thirsty desires for all the “juicy” details. Perhaps this is one of Ebershoff’s underlying warnings to us. All in all, I found the book just an interesting, but not a new and wonderful twist on a theme. The historic details were the most engaging, but were somewhat flat…the current-day storyline that parralled the historic was light-weight and not very engaging. I wasn’t very attached to the contemporary characters…especially finding Johnny a boy I couldn’t warm up to at all! Would I buy this book knowing all of this??? I probably would just because of the historical details on Mormanism from a woman’s perspective. I think Mr. Eberschoff would have had a better book if he’d just enhanced that historical detail with a ficticious “fill in!” Wait ’til this one comes out in paperback!
Your, Bookish Dame
Walking on Eggshells or Trying Not to Be Motherly
I’ve been chewed up, mashed down and broken-hearted in the last year by my adult children, and what a shock it’s been! My children and I have always been close, very loving and have communicated so well. I’ve given them my heart and my best, tryed to support and love them unconditionally….and now I’m just devastated about the new responses I’m getting from the two I would never have expected it from!
Thus, my grasp for help in a book, of course. I saw, “Walking on Eggshells, Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents,” by Jane Isay at my local Borders and dove for it. Judith Viorst (of childrens’ book fame) has a quote on the front of the book, “Read it and learn!”
Having just started the book, I have not too much to share other than that adult children don’t want moms and dads to tell them the SLIGHTEST things to do, in any way at all, ever! It enrages them! Really enrages them! This is news to me…however, I have seen the purple monsters rise from my beloved adult children this year and I can testify that it’s a real issue.
Since I’ve already spent days in bed in sobbing grief over lost love and heartbreak from the new treatment and disrespect they have shown me for reasons I couldn’t figure out (I was just being the same ol’ mom….now I know that’s absolutely not allowed anymore!), I’m now ready for the boot camp of revising my relationships, I suppose. It won’t be easy…it’s really like “walking on eggshells”…even I called it that before I saw the book. And, I think the tough thing is learning how to negotiate the pitfalls and landmines without losing who we are as women and mothers.
I’m still a little heartbroken at the changes I will have to make. No longer being the mom of my younger children…now Mother of my adult children…not as playful now, but more serious and grown up. I always loved the light-heartedness and playfulness of childhood and young adulthood with them…I’m going to miss that….
If any of you are experiencing this, too. I’d love to hear from you, whether you’re a mom or a new mother, or a son trying to balance a new wife and new child and your mom. It’s a strange new world for everyone!
Your, Bookish Dame
