Wonderful, Marg! I'm sorry I missed this one when you first published it. I think I was traveling (I seem to be always doing that these days--not to complain). Anyway, your story of your life in chapters is enchanting. Your reading life seems to parallel mine, though not the personal one. I waited until well into my 30s to have a babe, and then I only had one. (Some regrets about that!) The pictures of your and your daughter, then with your husband are lovely.
I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and remember almost nothing of it, except how much everyone else liked it. I liked the World According to Garp a whole lot better--and the movie too, perhaps more than the book. What else I read, it's kind of hard to remember. William Styron's Sophie's Choice was one--and later there was a movie starring Meryl Streep. I keep thinking I ought to go back and read them all again to see what I'd think now...
It's so funny you should mention Sophie's Choice because I originally included it in this issue but for some reason took it out - can't remember why now! I also loved that book and it made a huge impression on me, not least because it portrayed such a rich vision of the life of a writer. It made me want to write about important things (something I've never really done, although maybe domestic issues are important in their own right.)
I've had some lovely feedback from women around my age and I find it interesting that we have so many reading connections, despite the fact that we live at opposite ends of the world. It's been a fun and rewarding series to write. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Wonderful, Marg! I'm sorry I missed this one when you first published it. I think I was traveling (I seem to be always doing that these days--not to complain). Anyway, your story of your life in chapters is enchanting. Your reading life seems to parallel mine, though not the personal one. I waited until well into my 30s to have a babe, and then I only had one. (Some regrets about that!) The pictures of your and your daughter, then with your husband are lovely.
I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and remember almost nothing of it, except how much everyone else liked it. I liked the World According to Garp a whole lot better--and the movie too, perhaps more than the book. What else I read, it's kind of hard to remember. William Styron's Sophie's Choice was one--and later there was a movie starring Meryl Streep. I keep thinking I ought to go back and read them all again to see what I'd think now...
It's so funny you should mention Sophie's Choice because I originally included it in this issue but for some reason took it out - can't remember why now! I also loved that book and it made a huge impression on me, not least because it portrayed such a rich vision of the life of a writer. It made me want to write about important things (something I've never really done, although maybe domestic issues are important in their own right.)
I've had some lovely feedback from women around my age and I find it interesting that we have so many reading connections, despite the fact that we live at opposite ends of the world. It's been a fun and rewarding series to write. Thanks for reading and commenting.