Julia Glass: The Widower’s Tale
Thanks to school-reading, I am spending waaaay too much of my life reading ye olden day books (spiritual rantings of a 12th century mystic, anyone? Didn’t think so.) But woman cannot live by classics alone. Woman’s eyes become glazed over at the length of the sentences and the floweriness of the prose. Sometimes I need to read books by people who understand need for the internet and processed food, however shallow these things may be.
Julia Glass is the answer to that need. She, Meg Wolitzer and Tom Perrotta are the only three contemporary writers on actual, relatable, contemporary society that I can think of at the moment. (Any others? I would love some recommendations.)
The Widower’s Tale did a very good job of satisfying my craving for 21st century society. Even though at times, it felt like we were working through a checklist of 21st century issues liberal people must have a righteous opinion on. The perils of undocumented workers! The perils of rainforest destruction! The perils of not having health insurance! (Ok, this last one did make me righteously angry. The fact that people are forced to worry about having to pay for treatment when they are facing down death seems to me to be an incomprehensible indignity.)
The book suffers for working through this checklist. Too many characters, too many issues, too much going on. Percy is a retired librarian with a drowned wife, a nursery school in a treehouse in his garden, a new girlfriend and a taste for speaking like he’s fallen out of Dickens. His grandson, Robert, has a high-maintenance mother, a clearly insane room-mate, a tendency to be easily led, and a taste for speaking like the author doesn’t know any 19 year olds but spends a lot of time watching trashy TV. His neighbour’s gardener, Celestino, has no passport, a way with plants, a burning desire to recapture his lost love, and a taste for not saying very much at all. Ira, the nursery school teacher, is fending off his boyfriend’s desire to get married, dealing with the aftermath of prejudice, and counselling Percy’s dreary daughter. He speaks more or less normally.
Still with me?
Just. Too. Much.
But to be honest, pretty enjoyable. Mostly, people you don’t know but could imagine knowing dealing with the same kinds of things you can imagine dealing with. And though Glass pokes fun at the rather insular and smug society that Percy lives in, it’s not in a mean way that is equally smug. Undemanding, but not so that you feel your brain is melting with stupidity. Just what I needed really, and you can’t ask for more than that.
I was lucky enough to win a signed copy from the most marvellous Jill. She is cracking.
Posted on January 28, 2011, in Uncategorized and tagged book reviews, books, i see you everywhere, julia glass, reading, the widower's tale, three junes. Bookmark the permalink. 11 Comments.
I’m with you on needing a mixed diet, too much heavy reading is no fun. This post made me realize, though, that I don’t really read many books on contemporary society…?? I had no idea! I just looked back on the books I read last year, and it is a seriously small percentage, and many of those I rated low. I feel like I’ve just discovered another personal failing.
I don’t think its you, I just think that for some reason you notice the dating much more quickly and as a result it is too easy for books set today to feel slightly ‘off’.
Better cracking than cracked, right?
Glad you enjoyed it, and that we agree on the too much.
My feelings about this book were very similar to yours. I really enjoyed reading it, but it felt a little too jam-packed with “issues.”
I have only read Glass’ novel Three Junes but I am intrigued by your question about contemporary relatable authors. Along with Glass and Wolitzer (I haven’t read Perrotta) I would add Elinor Lipman (slightly lighter than the others), Cheryl Mendelsohn (a great trilogy beginning with Morningside Heights), Marge Piercy’s Three Women, The Third Child, and Fly Away Home. For fluffy, but not dumb, romantic comedy try Kathleen Tessaro. Thisbe Nissen is good if you want something with a younger twist. I wouldn’t say that all Paul Auster would work for this mood, but his novel The Brooklyn Follies would definitely hit the spot. Siri Hustvedt, Nick Hornby and EARLY Michael Cunningham would also work. I once tried to find a name for this kind of fiction but couldn’t.
Wow, thanks so much for this comprehensive list! I have Three Women waiting to be read (from your good self) so that will be first up. YES to Siri Hustvedt.
Nick Hornby! Forgot about him, feeling a little less like a failure now. Still feeling like this is an area I might need to branch out into a little more.
Good call on Hornby, though I have to say that I haven’t really enjoyed his more recent books. Though Juliet, Naked was fine.
I’ve know I’ve effusively recommended Glass to you before and I certainly have a soft spot for her because she a) lives in my state and b) seems like she would be fun to have a book club with. It does sound like The Widower’s Tale suffers from the same problems as The Whole World Over though. Too many characters with too much going on. I definitely need to read Three Junes and see if that’s any different. It won the National Book award after all. And I see highly recommend I See You Everywhere for anyone with siblings especially sisters.
And also since you requested additional contemporary author recommendations, I recently read The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry (who also has a blog!!!) and Here Comes the Good Squad by Jennifer Egan. Both really engaging, somewhat fast-paced books. Barry’s book will make you nostalgic for Massachusetts I hope.
I think you will appreciate Egan’s because one whole chapter is written in Powerpoint slides. Also, since I pretty much only read contemporary fiction, I just started Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom . I’ll let you know if that one also belongs on the recommendation list.
You think I need more reasons to be nostalgic for Massachusetts? I only need to hear the words ‘Mike’s Hard Lemonade’ to go into a sentimental reverie. Thank you for your suggestions! I will have a go! I feel very meh about Freedom though, having not enjoyed The Corrections at all.
I didn’t proofread that post at all. Whoops – clearly my editorial days are over and I’m true marketer now. Speed rather than accuracy. The Egan book is called A Visit from the Goon Squad not what I wrote in my previous comment. Sheesh.