Greetings, I hope everyone is enjoying the fall colors these days. So far we’ve had two snowstorms here, and still the leaves seem to be in fine form and haven’t come down fully yet. It’s pretty out now … just in time for Canadian Thanksgiving on Monday, which is a holiday that always surprises me when it comes so early, but who doesn’t want a three-day weekend?
Meanwhile I’m trying to heal from eye surgery and I’ve been told not to do much for an entire week … including not reading or perusing much “screen time” or playing tennis or showering instead of bathing, or going to the gym or bicycling etc. Though yesterday I had the ingenious idea of using a swim mask in the shower so I could wash my hair. This worked, even though it scared my dog a bit. Still you got to do, what you got to do. Admittedly I’ve been cheating a bit on the reading and “screen time” though I’m trying to listen to more audiobooks. For now, I’ll leave you with some reviews of what I finished lately.
Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner / via audiobook read by Allyson Ryan
Synopsis: This debut novel follows the travails of 41-year-old, 5-foot-5 New York physician Toby Fleishman, who appears to be reveling in his new found dating freedom after splitting from his career-driven wife Rachel of 14 years for often being angry and paying little attention to their preteen kids. “But then, just as Toby is juggling his new girlfriends, dying patients, and unhappy children, Rachel disappears, leaving Toby to cope with logistics more complicated than he anticipated.” — Publishers Weekly
My Thoughts: Ha, I found this novel in the nick of time. Who knew it’d give me more faith in what’s been out this year. Going into it, I knew nothing about “Fleishman” though I heard the title batted around some. The novel, which is broken into three parts, is particularly funny and irreverent in Part 1, which details Toby’s new lease on freedom after his divorce from his wife. He can’t believe his luck and his dating apps that women are really into him at this stage in life, but lo’ and behold they are: who would’ve guessed Toby Fleishman! (Beware dear reader: the novel is pretty explicit with the sexual musings of horny Toby, which usually would be totally yikes, but Part 1 is pretty spoof-filled so it’s pretty easy laughing off ole Toby Fleishman.) He becomes more filled in and better as the story goes along so give it more of a chance, if you’re annoyed at first. It becomes more than what you might initially think.
In Part 2, the novel goes back in time to Toby and his wife Rachel’s first days, and those of their marriage, their kids, and what went wrong; while Part 3 gives more of Rachel’s side of things — as well as Libby’s — who is a college friend of Toby’s who tells most of the story. These parts become more serious in tone, and explore details of marriage, career ambition, and what women face … that have insightful introspective touches to them.
It’s a novel that reminded me a little bit of a funny version of Lauren Groff’s “Fates and Furies” or a funny, Jewish version of “Fates and Furies.” It’s different than that, but explores similar themes. And I probably liked it better. For whatever reason, I was picturing Toby throughout the book as Philip Seymour Hoffman, who seemed to perfectly fit my image of Toby, but sadly he won’t be able to play him if there’s ever a film version. I warmed to Toby’s character, though not much to his wife Rachel’s, despite her rough familial beginnings.
Still I was quite impressed with Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s debut. Apparently she wrote the book in six months time, all the while being a journalist and contributor to GQ magazine and The New York Times, where’s she’s now a staff writer. You can tell from “Fleishman,” she’s a fan of the works of Philip Roth, John Updike, and Saul Bellow – if you know or like those. I hope to read more from her in the future. She definitely had me laughing during the novel’s first half, and pondering during its second half.
Inland by Tea Obreht / via e-book on a plane
Synopsis: The novel features two alternating storylines that converge a bit at the very end — the first is of a frontierswoman named Nora and her family living in Arizona Territory in 1893 and the other is of a former outlaw named Lurie, who becomes part of the U.S. Army’s Camel Corps on a trek through Texas and the American West.
My Thoughts: I was quite taken by Tea Obreht’s first novel “The Tiger’s Wife” in 2011, so I really wanted to like this one as well, but I didn’t fully warm up to the story until the second half when it finally started to move for me. The protagonist of Nora is a pretty tough lady, who’s waiting for her husband to return from a far-off errand of acquiring water for the household. She’s trying to manage the bone-dry property and family of boys, while still holding conversations with the one young daughter she lost years ago. Meanwhile Lurie, the former outlaw, who is being chased by a sheriff, joins up with an Army regiment of Camel Corps in Texas, which apparently once truly existed in the West as a means to transport gear over the dry, rough terrain. Lurie becomes attached to his camel Burke, and the two share in a variety of adventures on a trek though the West, culminating eventually in crossing paths with Nora.
The idea of the Camel Corps and the frontierswoman in Arizona Territory sparked my imagination, and there are some keen descriptions in the story of the landscape and characters that captured me, but you also have to wade through quite a bit. It’s not exactly a page-turner, but I did want to see how it would end. So while “Inland” was quite a bit more work than I thought it would be, there are some rewards if you see it through to the end. Though perhaps I was expecting a bit more from the story … or I found it a bit slow in parts. Admittedly I don’t read a lot of western novels, but if you liked Paulette Jiles’s 2016 novel “News of the World,” which I did, than you might try this one as well.
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes / via audiobook read by Julia Whelan
Synopsis: A widow (Evvie) in a seaside town in Maine ends up renting part of her house to a former Yankee pitcher (Dean) who’s recently retired after losing his game … and the two try to start over after life throws them some surprises.
My Thoughts: This was a light, entertaining romantic-comedy-type of novel. I listened to it as an audiobook and picked it up because I liked the idea of a professional baseball pitcher moving in next door. Why doesn’t that happen to me? I also like sports novels in general, but I don’t think this was exactly that.
Some of the humor early on in the story was enjoyable, though as it went on I sort of wondered … how believable the story and characters were — would they really appeal to one another? I also felt it was more chick lit / romance than I typically read. Still I liked Dean, but I wasn’t sure about Evvie. I wanted Dean to get over his “yips” about pitching and get back to the MLB pronto, but you have to stay tuned to see what happens. For light summer fare, “Evvie Drake” was enjoyable enough to see it through, but I think I wanted to like it more. I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads, though others seemed to mark it higher.
Southern Lady Code: Essays by Helen Ellis / via audiobook read by the author
Synopsis: A short collection of essays from a sassy Southern girl raised in Alabama and based in New York City.
My Thoughts: I actually listened to this book twice since it’s short, light, and funny in various places. (I deserve this after reading the long “Goldfinch” and dry “Inland” recently.) I would recommend it if you need a laugh, or a pick-me upper. Some of the chapters are better than others (some perhaps are too over-the-top) but overall I enjoyed this Southern author’s particular craziness on her takes on such things as manners, clothes, cooking, thank-you notes, going on flights, having, mammograms, and battling Twitter spam/pornography, etc.
A couple of my favorite chapters were “Straighten Up and Fly Right” and “An Emily Post for the Apocalypse” though there are others like “Dumb Boobs,” “Tonight Were Gonna Party Like It’s 1979” and “Young Ladies, Listen to Me” that were pretty priceless too. This collection is not exactly rocket science, but it’s just good fun. I haven’t read Helen Ellis before, but I’m glad I didn’t pass this one by. It’s a good palette cleanser — and one I need to give to my sister for the laughs and for the hell of it.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you read any of these books and if so, what did you think?
I hope your eyes are great in no time!
I enjoyed Evvie Drake more than you did and Southern Lady Code less than you did. I’m in the minority on Southern Lady Code, though – it just felt like Ellis was trying too hard to me.
Hi Kathy, thanks. Yeah I can see where Evvie and SLC could be switched in terms of favorability. I think I warmed to Helen Ellis’s audiobook more on the 2nd time through.
I hope that you feel better from the surgery as soon as possible.
I can see believe that Brodesser – Akner likes Phillip Roth. The plot description of Fleishman reminds me of Roth. The book sounds very good.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks Brian. Thanksgiving in October is a bit different. The Fleishman book is fun and I probably need to read more Roth to make a comparison … but the author mentions him in the book and I hear she likes his works.
Yes! Keep the books coming! I like the sound of “Dumb Boobs,” for sure. Fleishman sounds fun & I also added Paulette Jiles’ book to my list. Thanks!!
Hi — I was trying to figure a way to send you an audio download of Southern Lady Code but not sure I ever did. It’s a very light thing …. but a few of her essays are just fun to listen to … You must hear Dumb Boobs! & her essay on the flight is pretty good too. Worth some laughs!
I love the metaphor in your post’s title! Yikes though, your eye surgery sounds major. I hope it heals up well and fast.
I like all of those authors you mentioned in connection with Fleishman. Also at my age the sexual musings of a horny 40 something year old man sound pretty good.
I skimmed your Inland review because I hope to read it soon. I have adopted a practice of avoiding reviews of books I plan to read until after I actually read them. So I will come back for that one.
Right now I am reading A Passage to India for a reading group. I feel like it will never end and I hope it turns out to be worth the trouble.
While you are having Canadian Thanksgiving we are having Columbus Day. Similar in some ways as they celebrate the false history of colonists vs natives.
Hey Judy, the eye is healing … but is still a sea of red — I look right out of an Anne Rice book. I hope you make it though A Passage to India — the movie of it was quite good with Judy Davis … oh those caves. You must read the Fleishman book and let me know what you think, funny in parts. Inland was a bit here & there for me. Still I will continue with Tea. Enjoy your Columbus and I’ll do my best with Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you recover soon from the eye surgery. Get some rest and don’t cheat with screen time because it may take longer to heal. 🙂 I read Inland back in July and gave it 4*. I liked it more than you did. I laughed lots during the first half–the Mattie brother who denounced Lurie because he was no Mattie 😛 , and the Cameleers arguing/fighting to death at the drop of a hat–, but I found the last 10% a chore to finish. It’s not unforgettable but it was enjoyable and original enough. Fleishman… gave me ‘Fates and Furies’ vibe even before you mentioned it.
Hi Carmen, you are right about not cheating on screen time. I need to heal the eye, but it’s hard for a week, unable to do anything! I’m glad you let me know your thoughts on Inland. I admire Tea’s writing — though some of this book took awhile to wade through. I liked the story but maybe hoped to like it more. I expected Lurie and Nora would have more of a meeting at the end. It was a bit sad for both … with what happened to Nora’s daughter & family, & Lurie’s meanderings too. Tea did well to make the story pretty visual.
Carmen! When are you going to visit me? I miss you so.
Ooohhh, thank you. 🙂 I’ll visit today in the afternoon. Promise. 🙂
What a sweet exchange. Glad to hear from you both.
A week with no reading or screen time would be so hard! I don’t blame you for cheating. I was going crazy after just one afternoon of not being about to do screen time after getting my eyes dilated at the eye doctor.
Fleishman is in Trouble sounds like one I’d like – I’ll put it on my never-ending TBR list.
Yeah Rachel: I’m going crazy waiting for the eye to heal. How boring it is! I have to cheat on screen & reading time. I think you might like the Fleishman book, the writing is fun … & speaks plenty of truths. I was lucky to finally get it from the library. Thx for stopping by.
I hope your eye is well enough to have you back to all activities soon. It has to be a little frustrating to have restrictions on reading!
Congratulations on finishing Inland. I couldn’t do it. I also DNF’d Fleishman, but have begun to expect that I didn’t give him enough time after hearing how much so many people liked it. For me it was the start. Being divorced myself, I just wasn’t interested in Toby’s new dating life.
Loved much of Southern Lady Code, too!
Thanks Susie: I’m almost back to full reading mode now … after the eye week restrictions were blah. The novel Inland was a bit of work but I was determined to get through. She can be a dense-ish writer. I think you might have liked Fleishman if you had continued on … since it does change quite a bit from the start, but who knows. It turned out a bit like a lighter version of Fates & Furies if you read that … just about marriage & divorce & jobs etc. As for Southern Lady Code — it did make me laugh in places — glad to know you did too.
Happy Thanksgiving! The Canadian holiday always seems so early to me. Hope your eyes continue to heal, but you must be getting impatient with the process.
I appreciate all your reviews. Fleischman is already on my library hold list. I’m curious about Inland but have yet to read The Tiger Wife, so perhaps I’ll start there instead. Evvie Drake keeps crossing my path at the library. Julia Whelan is a tried and true narrator for me, so I’ll keep the audio in mind when I’m looking for something on the light side. Southern Lady Code sounds like fun!
Hi JoAnn: I’m sure you have your hands full in Fla. with the move. Thanks for stopping by. Thanksgiving was nice, though smaller than in the U.S. Evvie Drake & Southern Lady Code are good for when you need something Light. Fleishman is another NYC /marriage novel … I’ve been reading a lot of NYC books this year, not on purpose, but they’ve been good. Enjoy your sun!
What did you have done to your eye? I am just catching up on reading so perhaps I missed something.
Hi Ti, I had a pterygium growth removed from my eye … I got it from all the years growing up in the sun in SoCal. The growth was causing much redness/inflammation to my eye so I finally had surgery to remove it …. now my eye is pretty blood red post-surgery but I think that should go away after a month. I’m keeping up with the eye drops …