false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180799447m/1078116.jpg 1078116 3 The unreliable narrator tends to get a bum rap for committing a multitude of sins against trusting readers. But what happens when the narrator is impaired? In Lydia Millet's <I>My Happy Life</I>, a nameless woman with a mental deficiency is locked inside an abandoned asylum. To pass the time between staying alive and attempting escape, she scribbles her life story on the walls that separate her from the rest of the world. <p> In childhood she catapults from one charitable home to another, abused by fellow residents and schoolmates, and eventually winds up sleeping on park benches. As a young woman she falls prey to a sadistic wealthy patron who kidnaps her. With graceful and often poetic simplicity, Millet thrusts us into the childlike mind of a person who has a limited ability to make herself understood in an unforgiving world. This woman's story--covering decades and spanning continents--is utterly tragic, yet her capacity for joy shines throughout. It's quite an about-face from Millet's last novel, the silly and satirical <I>George Bush, Dark Prince of Love</I>. Despite its many abstractions (Where are we? How much time has passed?), the book flows easily and doesn't step outside this determined, faithful woman's story for a second. Her character may not have a name, but readers will ultimately trust her--in happiness and in sorrow. <I>--Emily Russin</I> 1064834 9 1 2002 My Happy Life: A Novel total:110|5:31|4:33|3:29|2:11|1:6| 110 402 185 26 4 1 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 25 09:39:39 -0800 2009 Sat Feb 21 08:48:17 -0800 2009
Unnamed Narrator has not had it...more...]]> 0 0 false false Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Jun 25 10:24:50 -0700 2007 Mon Jun 25 10:24:50 -0700 2007 more...]]> 0 0 false false Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Mar 12 18:02:08 -0700 2009 Thu Mar 12 18:07:16 -0700 2009 While I usually like depressing rea...more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed May 13 07:33:33 -0700 2009 Wed May 13 07:41:42 -0700 2009 more...]]> 1 0 false false Fri Feb 20 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 18 17:20:51 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 20 07:46:57 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Tue Oct 06 09:39:46 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 06 09:41:44 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Tue Feb 03 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Feb 15 18:42:14 -0800 2009 Sun Feb 15 18:46:34 -0800 2009 4 0 false false Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue Aug 28 17:01:59 -0700 2007 Wed Oct 17 06:11:25 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 20 17:08:35 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 20 17:21:24 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Sat Mar 14 20:22:34 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 29 10:20:32 -0700 2009 1 0 false false Fri May 22 07:02:55 -0700 2009 Wed May 20 17:57:01 -0700 2009 Fri May 22 07:02:55 -0700 2009 2 0 false false Wed Aug 13 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Feb 11 20:42:34 -0800 2008 Wed Aug 13 14:44:23 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun Aug 31 14:35:36 -0700 2008 Sun Aug 31 14:38:59 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003 Mon Dec 22 11:52:34 -0800 2008 Thu Jan 01 16:16:17 -0800 2009 4 0 false false Wed Jul 04 18:39:39 -0700 2007 Wed Jul 04 18:44:20 -0700 2007 more...]]> 2 0 false false Thu May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon May 12 08:35:33 -0700 2008 Mon May 12 08:39:01 -0700 2008 2 0 false false Wed Sep 10 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Thu Sep 11 06:43:43 -0700 2008 Thu Sep 11 06:53:55 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Wed Nov 14 12:15:20 -0800 2007 Wed Nov 14 12:28:42 -0800 2007 4 0 false false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Aug 29 12:27:47 -0700 2007 Wed Aug 29 12:34:58 -0700 2007 5 0 false false Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sat Jul 28 19:20:03 -0700 2007 Sat Jul 28 19:20:36 -0700 2007 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=1078116