*A Widow for One Year
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
2 journalers for this copy...
Pre-numbered label used for registration.
This is a 2nd copy that I will send out as a bookray; have not read this one yet.
Here are the Bookray members:
GlasgowGal-UK
Carpediva-CA --->mailed to her 3/04
yourotherleft-PA
Hawkette-UK
As you finish the book, send PM to next reader on the list for their address.
Happy Reading!
>(:::)
This is a 2nd copy that I will send out as a bookray; have not read this one yet.
Here are the Bookray members:
GlasgowGal-UK
Carpediva-CA --->mailed to her 3/04
yourotherleft-PA
Hawkette-UK
As you finish the book, send PM to next reader on the list for their address.
Happy Reading!
>(:::)
Received in the mail this morning. There are a couple of rings ahead of it, but I'm looking forward to getting round to this one soon. Thanks Ladybug01.
Edited 08.03.04
I just wanted to let you know I've now started this and so far so good! Unfortunately I've got an important job interview this week I have to read up some stuff for, and some other personal and family stuff taking up spare time, so my available reading time is somewhat diminished at the moment. Hopefullly I'll be done in a week or so, but I didn't want you to think it was languishing at the bottom of Mt Toberead being forgotten about!
Edited 08.03.04
I just wanted to let you know I've now started this and so far so good! Unfortunately I've got an important job interview this week I have to read up some stuff for, and some other personal and family stuff taking up spare time, so my available reading time is somewhat diminished at the moment. Hopefullly I'll be done in a week or so, but I didn't want you to think it was languishing at the bottom of Mt Toberead being forgotten about!
I finished this book this evening, and have mixed feelings about it.
The book chronicles the life of Ruth Cole, the daughter of Ted and Marion Cole. The first part of the novel covers the summer when Ruth is 4 years old. Her parents are going through a separation after the devastating death of her two older brothers 5 years previously. The house Ruth shares with her parents (who only stay with her on alternate evenings) is shrouded in the memory of her dead brothers. Ted Cole is a writer who hires a 16 year old boy, Eddie O'Hare, as a writer's assistant for the summer, knowing the boy will fall in love with Marion and start an affair.
The second part of the book is set in 1990, 32 years after part one. Ruth is now a successful writer, as are Eddie and Ruth's best friend, Hannah (who are a novelist and journalist respectively). Eddie is still in love with Marion Cole although she is long gone, and, 32 years on, is approaching pensionable age. This part sees Ruth struggling with the decision whether or not to marry her editor, and developing her ideas for her latest novel in Amsterdam.
The third and final part of the book is set another 5 years in the future. Ruth is now 41, a mother of one and a widow. This part sees the loose ends tied up and a conclusion brought to the story.
Previously I had only read Irving's "The Cider House Rules" which I adored. This book is totally different. The characters are all literary figures which to me made it seem a bit like the author had had one good idea and then run out. The first part of the novel is far and away the best, and you get the feeling the novel runs out of steam a little after this. Sections of the second part of the novel drag aimlessly for page after page; and in the end the novel, at 537 pages long, just seems to drag. The characters are, in the most part, well formed, and the underlying story is a good basis for a novel; however, you get the feeling that a ruthless editor, cutting 100 or so pages from this would have made a "good" novel "great". In addition, rarely have I come across a book that uses so many instances of parentheses - a writing style which eventually becomes distracting and gives the novel a hint of being "unfinished" and littered with the author's after-thoughts.
However, overall I enjoyed reading this book, and once I got into the characters sped through the text in a couple of days.
Once again I apologise for having kept this book for so long. I already have Carpediva's address, so this will be in the mail some point this week, winging its way to San Francisco!
Thanks to Ladybug01 >(:::) for sharing this book!
The book chronicles the life of Ruth Cole, the daughter of Ted and Marion Cole. The first part of the novel covers the summer when Ruth is 4 years old. Her parents are going through a separation after the devastating death of her two older brothers 5 years previously. The house Ruth shares with her parents (who only stay with her on alternate evenings) is shrouded in the memory of her dead brothers. Ted Cole is a writer who hires a 16 year old boy, Eddie O'Hare, as a writer's assistant for the summer, knowing the boy will fall in love with Marion and start an affair.
The second part of the book is set in 1990, 32 years after part one. Ruth is now a successful writer, as are Eddie and Ruth's best friend, Hannah (who are a novelist and journalist respectively). Eddie is still in love with Marion Cole although she is long gone, and, 32 years on, is approaching pensionable age. This part sees Ruth struggling with the decision whether or not to marry her editor, and developing her ideas for her latest novel in Amsterdam.
The third and final part of the book is set another 5 years in the future. Ruth is now 41, a mother of one and a widow. This part sees the loose ends tied up and a conclusion brought to the story.
Previously I had only read Irving's "The Cider House Rules" which I adored. This book is totally different. The characters are all literary figures which to me made it seem a bit like the author had had one good idea and then run out. The first part of the novel is far and away the best, and you get the feeling the novel runs out of steam a little after this. Sections of the second part of the novel drag aimlessly for page after page; and in the end the novel, at 537 pages long, just seems to drag. The characters are, in the most part, well formed, and the underlying story is a good basis for a novel; however, you get the feeling that a ruthless editor, cutting 100 or so pages from this would have made a "good" novel "great". In addition, rarely have I come across a book that uses so many instances of parentheses - a writing style which eventually becomes distracting and gives the novel a hint of being "unfinished" and littered with the author's after-thoughts.
However, overall I enjoyed reading this book, and once I got into the characters sped through the text in a couple of days.
Once again I apologise for having kept this book for so long. I already have Carpediva's address, so this will be in the mail some point this week, winging its way to San Francisco!
Thanks to Ladybug01 >(:::) for sharing this book!
Journal Entry 4 by BC-08041015142 at By Mail in Mail, Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Released on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at ... by mail :) in Sent to a fellow BookCrosser, Bookring Controlled Releases.
Sent surface mail - so please allow up to 8 weeks for delivery.
Sent surface mail - so please allow up to 8 weeks for delivery.
