The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted: And Other Small Acts of Liberation
by Elizabeth Berg
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I'm not a huge fan of short stories. I like having more time to get to know the characters--what they think, how they react in different situations, the way they relate to the people around them. There's no room for that in a short story--every single sentence has to move the story forward. That being said, I am a die-hard fan of Elizabeth Berg. One of the reasons I like her writing so much is because she is a master at weaving in the small details about the characters so you know exactly ho...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
Toni
I am not a fan of the short story genre. I don't like becoming emotionally invested in characters only to have them leave me a few pages later. (No, I do not have abandonment issues.) But, heck, I'd read the back of a cereal box if it was written by Elizabeth Berg. Fortunately, I was not disappointed and only a bit miffed at the brief time spent with her characters.
This is most definitely a women's book but it is NOT chick lit. The collection of stories are not light, romantic fluff. Rather ...more
This is most definitely a women's book but it is NOT chick lit. The collection of stories are not light, romantic fluff. Rather ...more
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Women Walking Fast
A great quote from the last page of the last story: "But time does not hold still, and Rita thinks now that it's a blessing, she thinks that what it means is that your life is free to make or unmake every day." The women in these short stories all consider making or unmaking their average lives in some way - a widow changes the course of her life by trading in orthopedic shoes for kitten heels and a trip to Vegas, a woman tries desperately to hide from her grown family in a closet at T...more
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Read in April, 2008
I'm just not a short story person. Elizabeth Berg is one of my favorite writers but even she, with her considerable talents, cannot make me one. This was an enjoyable book though the pace was sort of uneven. Some stories were great, some good and a couple just OK. I found the great ones: Full Count, Rain, Mrs. Ethyl etal, and Truth or Dare frustrating because my time with the characters was too short. I wanted them to have their own books. As for the rest, I guess I would just rather be en...more
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Read in May, 2008
For some reason, I had this idea in my head that Berg had ventured into non-fiction and this was a collection of essays by various authors. Perhaps this was a factor in my extreme disappointment in this book, but I owe it more to the indiscriminate nature of the charachters. Several stories referenced Weight Watchers, which made it feel like an advertisement and dated. Only the last story really moved me in any way.
Elizabeth Berg is a fast read-I don't go in looking for substance. Had it ...more
Elizabeth Berg is a fast read-I don't go in looking for substance. Had it ...more
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Read in June, 2008
There are thirteen stories in this collection. I enjoyed reading all of them. My two favorites were:
Rain, about a guy who gives up the rat race to live a simpler life.
The Only One of Millions Just Like Him, about letting go of a beloved elderly dog.
With Elizabeth Berg, I always find something to enjoy, even in the stories I can't relate to. She makes observations about humans and life in general that are amusing or profound or both. You think to yourself, "Oh...more
Rain, about a guy who gives up the rat race to live a simpler life.
The Only One of Millions Just Like Him, about letting go of a beloved elderly dog.
With Elizabeth Berg, I always find something to enjoy, even in the stories I can't relate to. She makes observations about humans and life in general that are amusing or profound or both. You think to yourself, "Oh...more
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A collection of stories about everyday life that addresses dieting and aging. Delicious food represents all those things we want. We eat while what we really want is love, recognition or even limits to boredom. It is at times laugh-out-loud funny. I especially loved the story about the woman meeting her first love after many, many years. So much of that story rang true. I laughed out loud at the half dollar bill - reminded me of "My Summer With George". We women do it to ourselves w...more
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Read in May, 2008
this book was defintely not as "chick-lit"-y as it looks, which was a pleasant surprise. granted, it was mainly about women, their relationships, and body image issues, but it had substance to it. i really found myself relating to the characters in these stories. my favorites were "rain" and "mrs. ethel menafee and mrs. birdie stoltz." i've never read anything by elizabeth berg before, but i definitely plan to read more of hers.
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Read in June, 2008
I listened to this. Elizabeth Berg reads the stories herself. (Her voice is similar to Barbara Kingsolver!) I liked listening to short stories. Elizabeth has a way of taking ordinary people and making them vulnerable. She takes ordinary situations and makes them extraordinary. The stories made me want to look more closely to my surroundings and enjoy them. They made me want to be more sensitive and kind to others, also. We are all here together, living this life, and facing these challenge...more
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I guess I'm learning to love short stories. I reserved this title because I read Berg's "Dream When You're Feeling Blue" and absolutely loved it. This had wonderful stories. Another reviewer wrote that Berg writes about ordinary people doing ordinary things and this hits it right on. She writes with such an easy, flowing manner and it is such a pleasure to read.
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Read in June, 2008
I wanted to like this book since I have liked some of her novels (and some, not at all). The main problem for me was there was an air of girlfriend confessional chattiness in all the stories and yet I couldn't relate. For that kind of narration to work, I need to feel like I get the person or at least see some of my friends in the characters. I just didn't. Reading it was like watching an Oprah where everyone "shares" and you think - who are these people?
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If you don't have issues with food, DON'T read this. You won't get it. If you do, well it's a delight. Not like that whiney person at WW, but rather a collection of shorts about the intersection of life and food. It says some of the things you have always wanted to say and a few you didn't think of but now want to shout from the roof tops. I don't give it 5 stars because I could not relate to parts of it but all in all, an interesting read.
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Read in April, 2008
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Read in June, 2008
While I didn't enjoy every story I read, I have to admit, I had a hard time putting the book down. Maybe it's because I am an optimist and I wanted to search each story for what I thought each character deserved. I didn't read every story--some I started but didn't appreciate the style of writing (How to make an apple pie was one). "Full Count," really broke my heart.
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Read in May, 2008
This is a group of short stories by Elizabeth Berg, many of which include a theme of eating/dieting/etc. Berg always seems to be able to tune into what other women are thinking and feeling and she expresses it beautifully. It would be great if she could turn some of these characters into whole novels...she manages to make them feel very real in a short period of time.
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Read in June, 2008
I enjoyed all the short stories in this book. I especially related to "The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted" and "The Day I Ate Nothing I Even Remotely Wanted", both with Weight Watchers themes and both places I have been before. "How to Make an Apple Pie" brought me back to the kitchens with my mother and grandmothers. This is a good easy read, escape book.
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i don't usually like short stories and i did not like all of these. however, two or three of them are heartbreaking and beautiful. on the whole, the collection would be improved if the author abandoned food as the unifying thread (it felt contrived at times) and instead focused on what she does best -- amazing stories about the changeable nature of love.
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Read in April, 2008
242 pages but written so as to be a fast read. A collection of short stories with middle-aged women as the main characters. Many of these women could be me! Not only are these stories liberating, they also validate my thoughts, feelings, concerns, etc.
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Read in June, 2008
recommended to Jennifer by:
Merecommends it for: Gail, Aimee, Michelle - heck I think just about anyone would enjoy it
I don't know if it was the hormonies (dang PMS), but at a few points this book brought a tear to my eye. All of the crazy unique women made me smile. I saw myself, my mom, my friends, my friends' moms. There are a lot of references to food and weight and WeightWatchers -- but I didn't mind that. My favorite had to be "How to Make an Apple Pie."
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Read in April, 2008
These short stories are typical Elizabeth Berg, stories of ordinary life, friendship, love, some sad (cancer, dog dying), some uplifting, most tales that make you feel cozy inside. My favorites were How to Make an Apple Pie, Sin City, Over the Hill and Into the Woods and Truth or Dare. More goodness from one of my favorite authors.
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