This morning around 8:00 am, after walking the dogs, I sat down on my bed with Anna Quindlen's latest book and began to read. Around 10:00 I moved to the couch with the dogs. A little after noon I finished the book.
This is not the first time I have read one of her books start to finish in one setting. In the 1990's I did the same thing with "One Sure Thing". This new book is shorter, and a quicker read. The 4 hours were well spent.
In the early 1980's I began reading Anna Quindlen when she was a columnist for the New York Times. She wrote about current events and also about being a wife and a mother. Her columns spoke to me and I quickly became a fan. When she began writing fiction, I latched on to that work as well.
Quindlen is not a great writer but, for me, she is a very good writer. Yes, she is a bit manipulative and she tosses emotional angst around like a rainstorm of Hallmark Cards. But she also has characters that seem real: they often react badly, and they frequently make unfortunate decisions. They are rarely heroic and yet they are sometimes brave and unselfish. Her characters can be very weak while trying to be strong. Or they are strong at the same time they are simply humble. I unapologetically enjoy her books and I like the stories they tell. This one was no different. Good story, nice ending, a bit manipulative and no big surprises, but a very good way to start the week.
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