While it is certainly not the best book ever writen, the dialogs are loaded with quotable insights. In addition to this, the story well reflects the spirit of America during the early 90s (which was marred by a nasty recession not unlike the one we have now). So it sounds surprisingly current.
Women aren't supposed to be independent and if the truth be known, men aren't either. We offer them up, fodder to the corporations where they are ground to a red pulp, pulverized by tedious meetings, diced by internal politics, frightened for their children and how to support them, and all too often burdened by the wife who was supposed to be the helpmate. (...) Don't you see, the whole system is geared to make sheep out of us?
We have children. We don't live with an extended family, so each little unit needs a refrigerator and a stove and two cars and a house, and you see how it escalates. So we march lock-step to the bank and we borrow money for these necessities which further enslave us to the corporation or whatever it is we do to earn our keep.
People drag home and open the microwave. There's a generation out there that think hamburger tastes like cardboard! Independent? I feel like we're squirrels in a cage - sure, some of us are in a gilded cage - but we're still running, spinning and only going in circles.
You don't even have to agree with her in everything to see that she might have a point somewhere. ;)
12 comments:
Helping my son requires so much energy from me that I've neglected everything...My blog/fellow bloggers, my house and especially myself. (I look terrible.)
Went to bed at 8.30 pm yesterday, was just too tired.
I'm ready for the next lesson. How to help him without losing myself in the process.
Du siehst umwerfend gut aus, dear, das kann man nicht verschandeln. Überanstreng' Dich nicht, there'll be time to blog again I guess.
I'm so happy your son is making progress! I know you are tired but you must be so happy too! Take a day, or half a day to take care of yourself, for without mothers, most children suffer.
Hm, I guess there is no Wunderheilung in this book?
Funny how when something needs to be neglected to keep up, it is usually the moms who neglect themselves. I think we do it because we are the only things that can bounce back from it? I don't know. I just know it takes a lot of dedication to keep up properly with children. I had to help my twins a lot in school when they were little and went to public - that particular school was terrible - still, it was nothing compared to all the work you are doing for your boy. Don't neglect yourself too much, okay?
Interesting!
i haven't read that one yet but i love to read rita mae brown. very blunt and easy but never shallow.
That's an excellent excerpt that really makes me want to read the book, Amanda! I totally agree that we have become enslaved by our desires. Being tired is a constant state of existence not only for moms anymore. And it's sad. I wish there was a magic "slow down" button for life, this fast track thing is killing us, and for what? Somehow we need to make time for enjoyment along the way, and even a little time for doing nothing at all!
Are you still with us?
I'm still here. I've kind of resigned myself to the fact that I can only post/read about once a week for now.
Hopefully things will change after easter vacation.
Oh, bunnies!
I feel like a hamster on a wheel much of the time. I don't think that this is what life is supposed to be about. Unless this plane really is what my spectral friend says--purgatory.
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