Rated of 5
by Barbara N. (Sonoma, CA) Moved by her empathy for the struggles women go through
Ever since reading "The Blindfold," I’ve been fascinated by Siri Hustvedt and the fictional worlds she creates—always cerebral, haunting, and engaging. Her new novel is no exception. Hustvedt’s intelligence and extensive learning are on display as she tells the story of Mia, a 55 year-old-woman forced into her summer without men by her husband’s request for a “pause” in their marriage.
Narrated by Mia in a direct address to the reader, the novel hearkens back to the world of Jane Austen as it explores contemporary—even postmodernist—concerns about what it means to be female at any age.
At times I found Mia's reaction to her marital woes over the top. Ultimately, however, I was moved by her (and Hustvedt's) empathy for the struggles that women go through—whether they are awkward adolescents, young wives caught in bad marriages, or elderly women coming to terms with the "bitterness" of old age.
Rated of 5
by Darra W. (Walnut Creek, CA) Don't be mislead by the title...
Although it begins with what would appear to be the familiar "husband leaves wife for younger woman and look what happens next" scenario, this is no fluffy, escapist, chick-lit stuff. Instead (yes!!) it is an intelligent, well-written, thought-provoking--and often close-to-the-bone--examination of women at various stages in their lives. I'll forgive the one-subplot-too-many (the young neighbor) for the gift Hustvedt gives us in Mia's mother and the other Four Swans.
I can't remember the last time I read a book with so many out-loud "oh!" moments. Book clubs will find tons to discuss.
Rated of 5
by Irene B. (Denton, TX) The summer without men
A great book. This writer has an understanding of the female mind and how we react to not so pleasant situations - most of the time. I think that she did a great job of depicting the feelings of different age groups. I will read this book again.
Rated of 5
by Mary Beth H. (Hillsborough, NC) The Summer Without Men
"The Summer Without Men" is not only a compelling novel about the lives of women and girls (maiden, mother and crone are all represented in the book), but also a meditation on the art of story-telling and the beauty of language. It's a thought-provoking read and will no doubt appeal to a diverse audience, from book club members to poetry lovers. I thought the plot would be rather formulaic at first (middle aged woman has nervous breakdown after husband leaves her for another woman), but it is so much more than this. It's beautifully written and a great read.
Rated of 5
by Mary M. (Beverly Hills, FL) Not a lot of substance
This slight book is told rather in the fashion of diary entries, and this sense is reinforced because the reader is often addressed as "Dear Reader." (There are also a lot of Jane Austen allusions.) These "entries" veer between straightforward narrative, bits of poetry, letters, verbatim conversations, and long introspective musings. It's actually an interesting and fun way to read a story if you have the patience for it. The narrator is caustic and witty and sublimely sarcastic. But, I never felt particularly drawn to her or to the other characters' lives and issues. None of the women, or girls, is fleshed out enough to offer any real insights. And the title seems a bit misleading; rather than a summer without men, men seem to be a major preoccupation of all the women in the book, one way or another. A book club might enjoy reading and discussing this book, if they wanted to explore the differences between men and women, and whether those differences mean anything.
Rated of 5
by Patricia W. (Richmond, VA) The Summer Without Men
The Summer Without Men may sound like a summer beach read but it clearly isn't. Mia, the narrator, has much going on in her life with her marital problems, her aging mother, her young students. She is in a complicated place and the author talks Mia and her readers through these events quite systematically. There are flaws with most of the characters and they are dealt with sympathetically. The author's storytelling takes us to some equally flawed but satisfying conclusions in the lives of her characters. This wasn't a book that I ordinarily would have read but I am glad that I did.
Fearless, gripping, at once darkly funny and tender, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story set in today's globalized world.
The story of an American family, middle class in middle America, ordinary in every way but one. But that exception is the beating heart of this extraordinary novel.
First time novelist Vaddey Ratner captured my heart and senses in this novel based on her childhood in Cambodia. Her story transcends any news story...
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From the first page, I was drawn in by the lyrical writing of the author and mesmerized as the narrator, eight year old Raami, remembered the years...
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Trite but true, all good things must come to an end. I so wanted to keep reading the wonderful prose, the settings that let one think they are part...
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Amazon cuts off 5200 affiliates in Minnesota(Jun 19 2013) With Minnesota's online sales tax law due to take effect July 1, Amazon has played a familiar card by cutting ties with 5,200 members of its Associates...
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by Barbara N. (Sonoma, CA) 
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by Darra W. (Walnut Creek, CA) 
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by Mary M. (Beverly Hills, FL) 
