My book group decided to have a book exchange - we were all going to bring a book and then take a book home. Well, everyone brought several books and everyone didn't take several home. So I ended up with a few books at my house. I picked through them and one looked intriguing, so I finally read it.
Maybe what caught my interest was the idea that there are stories in people's lives - and we often don't know them. I certainly don't condone adultery and abandoning ones children - which Mamah did - Frank Wright didn't divorce his wife - or rather she didn't allow a divorce until years after the death of Mamah.
Mamah Borthick regretted some of her choices - but ultimately felt she actually had no choice - at least according to the author and some of the writings of Mamah.
I can see leaving a husband - I mean, I can imagine women doing that even though it would not be a choice of mine. But I truly can't comprehend leaving your children - and for such long periods of time and when they were both so young - 2 and 4 I think.
The horrible murder that ended the life of Mamah and her children is handled tastefully - well, as tasteful as a murder can be handled - I guess I should say there was no gore or sensationalism.
The characters were well-drawn - they seemed real. Some things seemed dragged out - it got didactic at points.
It has a lot to recommend it - but a happy ending is not one of those things!
I just finished Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. It is not a "fast" read in the sense that you can put it down fairly easily. But it is an intriguing story. It is an historical novel, but it's based on a lot of fact - I googled some names and it's pretty true to the events anyway - who knows how they both really felt and lived.
Maybe what caught my interest was the idea that there are stories in people's lives - and we often don't know them. I certainly don't condone adultery and abandoning ones children - which Mamah did - Frank Wright didn't divorce his wife - or rather she didn't allow a divorce until years after the death of Mamah.
Mamah Borthick regretted some of her choices - but ultimately felt she actually had no choice - at least according to the author and some of the writings of Mamah.
I can see leaving a husband - I mean, I can imagine women doing that even though it would not be a choice of mine. But I truly can't comprehend leaving your children - and for such long periods of time and when they were both so young - 2 and 4 I think.
The horrible murder that ended the life of Mamah and her children is handled tastefully - well, as tasteful as a murder can be handled - I guess I should say there was no gore or sensationalism.
The characters were well-drawn - they seemed real. Some things seemed dragged out - it got didactic at points.
It has a lot to recommend it - but a happy ending is not one of those things!
2 comments:
Wow...that sounds seriously intense.
Wow. I didn't even know about any of that. Sounds interesting.
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