Apples and Oranges: My Brother and Me, Lost and Found
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From the Publisher
To be sure, some brothers and sisters have relationships that are easy. But oh, some relationships can be fraught. Confusing, too: How can two people share the same parents and turn out to be entirely different?Marie Brenner's brother, Carl--yin to her yang, red state to her blue state--lived in Texas and in the apple country of Washington state, cultivating his orchards, polishing his guns, and (no doubt causing their grandfather Isidor to turn in his grave) attending church, while Marie, a …+ read moreTo be sure, some brothers and sisters have relationships that are easy. But oh, some relationships can be fraught. Confusing, too: How can two people share the same parents and turn out to be entirely different?
Marie Brenner's brother, Carl--yin to her yang, red state to her blue state--lived in Texas and in the apple country of Washington state, cultivating his orchards, polishing his guns, and (no doubt causing their grandfather Isidor to turn in his grave) attending church, while Marie, a world-class journalist and bestselling author, led a sophisticated life among the "New York libs" her brother loathed.
From their earliest days there was a gulf between them, well documented in testy letters and telling photos: "I am a textbook younger child . . . training as bete noir to my brother," Brenner writes. "He's barely six years old and has already developed the Carl Look. It's the expression that the rabbit gets in "Watership Down "when it goes "tharn," freezes in the light."
After many years apart, a medical crisis pushed them back into each other's lives. Marie temporarily abandoned her job at "Vanity Fair "magazine, her friends, and her husband to try to help her brother. Except that Carl fought her every step of the way. "I told you to stay away from the apple country," he barked when she showed up. And, "Don't tell anyone out here you're from New York City. They'll get the wrong idea."
As usual, Marie--a reporter who has exposed big Tobacco scandals and Enron--irritated her brother and ignored his orders. She trained her formidable investigative skills on finding treatments to help her brother medically. And she dug into the past of the brilliant and contentious Brennerfamily, seeking in that complicated story a cure, too, for what ailed her relationship with Carl. If only they could find common ground, she reasoned, all would be well.
Brothers and sisters, "Apples and Oranges," Marie Brenner has written an extraordinary memoir--one that is heartbreakingly honest, funny and true. It's a book that even her brother could love.
To be sure, some brothers and sisters have relationships that are easy. But oh, some relationships can be fraught. Confusing, too: How can two people share the same parents and turn out to be entirely different?Marie Brenner's brother, Carl--yin to her yang, red state to her blue state--lived in Texas and in the apple country of Washington state, cultivating his orchards, polishing his guns, and (no doubt causing their grandfather Isidor to turn in his grave) attending church, while Marie, a …+ read moreTo be sure, some brothers and sisters have relationships that are easy. But oh, some relationships can be fraught. Confusing, too: How can two people share the same parents and turn out to be entirely different?
Marie Brenner's brother, Carl--yin to her yang, red state to her blue state--lived in Texas and in the apple country of Washington state, cultivating his orchards, polishing his guns, and (no doubt causing their grandfather Isidor to turn in his grave) attending church, while Marie, a world-class journalist and bestselling author, led a sophisticated life among the "New York libs" her brother loathed.
From their earliest days there was a gulf between them, well documented in testy letters and telling photos: "I am a textbook younger child . . . training as bete noir to my brother," Brenner writes. "He's barely six years old and has already developed the Carl Look. It's the expression that the rabbit gets in "Watership Down "when it goes "tharn," freezes in the light."
After many years apart, a medical crisis pushed them back into each other's lives. Marie temporarily abandoned her job at "Vanity Fair "magazine, her friends, and her husband to try to help her brother. Except that Carl fought her every step of the way. "I told you to stay away from the apple country," he barked when she showed up. And, "Don't tell anyone out here you're from New York City. They'll get the wrong idea."
As usual, Marie--a reporter who has exposed big Tobacco scandals and Enron--irritated her brother and ignored his orders. She trained her formidable investigative skills on finding treatments to help her brother medically. And she dug into the past of the brilliant and contentious Brennerfamily, seeking in that complicated story a cure, too, for what ailed her relationship with Carl. If only they could find common ground, she reasoned, all would be well.
Brothers and sisters, "Apples and Oranges," Marie Brenner has written an extraordinary memoir--one that is heartbreakingly honest, funny and true. It's a book that even her brother could love.
Marie Brenner has written a memoir about her confusing and strained relationship with her brother, Carl. He is as conservative as she is liberal. He is a former lawyer turned apple farmer, she is a big city investigative journalist. All their lives they have been 'at each other's throats'. Neither understanding the other. It was just easier to live apart.
When Carl, Marie's brother, is diagnosed with cancer Marie drops everything; her job, her friends and her husband to try to help and bond with her brother. Carl wants nothing to do with this and barks out orders to her. She in turn ignores these and irritates him. Can they ever find common ground? Marie researches everything. She learns all about possible cures and alternative treatments. She learns all she can about apple farming.
Brenner has documented her family's history with sibling rivalry. Her father did not get along with his sister. Could this be a pattern in families? Brenner had hoped by researching the past she would be able to bridge the gap in communication and understanding in the present. Brenner also visited a therapist to try to understand. Not many of us would go to these lengths to re-connect with our brother or sister.
For all of us who experience sibling miscommunication this book hits very close to home. Marie keeps on trying to establish a relationship which Carl alternately accepts and then pushes away. Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, sometimes frustrating this book has every emotion.
When Carl, Marie's brother, is diagnosed with cancer Marie drops everything; her job, her friends and her husband to try to help and bond with her brother. Carl wants nothing to do with this and barks out orders to her. She in turn ignores these and irritates him. Can they ever find common ground? Marie researches everything. She learns all about possible cures and alternative treatments. She learns all she can about apple farming.
Brenner has documented her family's history with sibling rivalry. Her father did not get along with his sister. Could this be a pattern in families? Brenner had hoped by researching the past she would be able to bridge the gap in communication and understanding in the present. Brenner also visited a therapist to try to understand. Not many of us would go to these lengths to re-connect with our brother or sister.
For all of us who experience sibling miscommunication this book hits very close to home. Marie keeps on trying to establish a relationship which Carl alternately accepts and then pushes away. Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, sometimes frustrating this book has every emotion.
mailed today to Lizabeth86 who won this in a NF swap
Arrived today. Thanks Ace.
