Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Still Life With Bread Crumbs; Anna Quindlen

2014 - Random House

Rebecca Winter was a well known NYC photographer and a fairly wealthy woman. Now, newly divorced, 60-year's old, with a dwindling bank account, she decides to cut expenses by leasing her high-end NYC apartment and renting a rural rundown cottage for a year.  She still helps support her aged parents and her twenty-something son Ben.

An unlikely candidate for life in upstate New York, she gradually establishes some routine, photographing wild birds and some handmade crosses and children's trinkets found near the crosses that she discovered while hiking in the woods one day. Her morning trips to the local coffee shop give her a feel for the locals who hang out there. After a critter get's into her attic, Jim Bates, a local roofer comes to her rescue and soon they begin spending more and more time together. When Jim suddenly disappears without a word, Rebecca puzzled and unsure what it all means. What does this all mean and what will happen next?
 
I've been a Quindlen fan for years, so I read whatever she writes, -- her non fiction is always outstanding. That being said, this one was not a favorite. It was a quick read but I also had a few issues with it. First it's a story which has been written again and again, and second, as an older woman about the age as the novel's main character Rebecca, the story just did not resonate with me.  The chance of an older woman finding love while living a fairly isolated life in the middle of nowhere is an unlikely scenario. Despite this, Still Life with Bread Crumbshad its funny moments, and the just the idea of starting fresh by moving from NYC to the country seemed like a refreshing change of pace.

3.5/5 stars 
(library copy)

9 comments:

  1. This sounds like it's worth reading even if it didn't meet your expectations.

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  2. I like the idea of the story - probably because I dream of moving to a more remote area. I'm sorry it doesn't resonate, but maybe as quick read it would be fun.

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  3. Thanks for your review Diane. I recently enjoyed this book. My review will be posted next week.

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  4. I'm a Quindlen fan, too, especially her nonfiction. This does sounds pretty unlikely, but I'll still read it at some point.

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  5. I have read a few of her books, and although I didn't like any of them, I found that they made great discussion books.

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  6. I read through a stage where I was reading Anna Quindlen all the time, but for whatever reason she hasn't been calling to me lately.

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  7. Elizabeth Berg has written quite a few books with this premise and they do start to feel tired. I am a new Quindlen fan so I may have to try this one anyway :)

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  8. I've read mixed reviews on this one but I liked the concept so maybe I'll enjoy it. I have a copy from LibraryThing so I'll be reading it soon.

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  9. I think I enjoyed this one better than you, but not nearly as much as Every Last One (which really resonated with me...). I should have my review up in the coming week or so.

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