The Mighty Queens of Freevilleby Amy Dickinson
If you read book blogs you have likely read several reviews of this book already. I feel like I'm the last person to read it even though it was only released this month. I read the initial reviews and then I stopped reading them because I didn't want anyone else's opinions to influence my own. Armed with an opinion of my own I will now be able to harass all of you with comments on your reviews.
So, there is no mystery that this is the memoir of the author of the "Ask Amy" advice column as well as the host of NPR's "Talk of the Nation". The book opens with Amy's husband asking for a divorce when her daughter is just a toddler and continues through the raising of her daughter who is now a college student. There are many reflections back to Dickinson's childhood, being raised in a family of almost all women on a failing farm in the small town of Freeville, NY.
If you were to sit on the front porch sipping lemonade with the author as she told you her life story it would have the same feel as this book. The writing is simple, as if spoken. The tale she has to tell is reflective without being too emotional. She makes a point to not blast her ex-husband for leaving her or her father who left her mother, at least not too much. I think she tried very hard to not sacrifice these men that she loves for the sake of humor or vengeance or a nice turn of phrase. But she was always honest about what happened to her and how it effected her. The author gives the impression of being the everywoman that you might be friends with, that maybe lives next door.
It was a mellow kind of stroll through the life of what seems like a very normal woman and the unusually female dominated but supportive and loving family that has made her what she is today.
Buy this book at Amazon.
7 comments:
I actually just heard about this book last weekend. Thanks for the review.
I enjoyed this book, too.
You're now on the blog roll and I subscribe. Nice blog!
Oh, I just finished it about a week ago myself - I know how you feel. =)
I just received this book two days ago from the publisher so I just skimmed your review. I"m looking forward to it!
PS Your blog is so pretty now!! I need to change mine..
I've got this one in my stack, I keep meaning to get to it. It seems like everyone that reads it, likes it. Maybe after I finish rotting my brain with the Kitty the Werewolf books. (In spite of the fact that they're rotting my brain....they crack me up!)
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