A charming read
I finished reading Kaye Gibbons' Charms for the Easy Life this week, and I must say that I enjoyed it immensely.
The book details the lives of three women: Charlie Kate, a smart, stubborn, self-taught healer; her daughter, Sophia, a beautiful woman searching for companionship; and her granddaughter, Margaret, a shy girl growing up in the WWII era. The book follows each woman as she finds love, manages family relationships, and blazes an unconventional path towards her own happiness. Through it all, the women demonstrate an immense and admirable thirst for knowledge.
The story is told from granddaughter Margaret's point of view. The writing is evocative and engaging. In addition, the character of the grandmother is one for the ages. Uncompromising, set in her ways, and sure of her talents, she is not a woman you will forget easily.
The novel is largely about how family cares for one another, about how Charlie Kate, Sophia, and Margaret are each one another's "charms," making life easier, happier, and more livable. You will thoroughly enjoy keeping their company for a while.
I read Gibbon's Ellen Foster years ago, and this book has motivated me to read some of her other titles. Expect more Gibbons reviews in the near future.
The book details the lives of three women: Charlie Kate, a smart, stubborn, self-taught healer; her daughter, Sophia, a beautiful woman searching for companionship; and her granddaughter, Margaret, a shy girl growing up in the WWII era. The book follows each woman as she finds love, manages family relationships, and blazes an unconventional path towards her own happiness. Through it all, the women demonstrate an immense and admirable thirst for knowledge.
The story is told from granddaughter Margaret's point of view. The writing is evocative and engaging. In addition, the character of the grandmother is one for the ages. Uncompromising, set in her ways, and sure of her talents, she is not a woman you will forget easily.
The novel is largely about how family cares for one another, about how Charlie Kate, Sophia, and Margaret are each one another's "charms," making life easier, happier, and more livable. You will thoroughly enjoy keeping their company for a while.
I read Gibbon's Ellen Foster years ago, and this book has motivated me to read some of her other titles. Expect more Gibbons reviews in the near future.
Comments
Stress at work was part of it. The book for my other book club was part of it, too (and the author is coming to speak to us at work, how cool)
But ... thank you for posting a review of that book earlier on your blog. I'll still be at the book club meeting ... but please forgive me for not contributing to the conversation.
[sigh]
Oh, Nicole. I'm trying. I swear. I'm trying.
First of all, why would I kill you for not reading the book? No bigee.
Secondly, I am unfortunately going to have to miss book club this month. We will be in Gulf Shores on baby's first vacation!
I will miss you guys, though, and I look forward to discussing the book online in the forums.
Smiles,
Nicole
P.S. What's the other book?
The other book is "Ava's Man" by Rick Bragg. He won a Pulitzer at the NYT for feature writing. If you read his books, you can see that he absolutely deserved the award. All Over But The Shoutin was good, Ava's Man was spectacular, and he's got another book now, "The Prince of Frogtown" that I'm anxiously looking forward to reading.
He's in town this week, and is speaking to us ink-stained wretches on Wednesday. I've sweet-talked Jerry Mitchell into letting me tag along at dinner that night too. "Infatuation" is too strong a word, but I definitely admire Rick. I grew up in a home with not much money and we all had to work hard to get what we had. I know where he's coming from, is what I'm saying, and I love his writing. He just blows me away.
Bragg sounds interesting. I'll have to check him out!