Questions About A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories

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Answered Questions (3)

Had you heard of Lucia before this book? How did she come to your attention?

DF My tiny local branch of the Portland (Maine) Public Library had it in a "recommended" book shelf - on audio. Love love love this book.…moreMy tiny local branch of the Portland (Maine) Public Library had it in a "recommended" book shelf - on audio. Love love love this book.(less)

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Lucia Berlin is a sudden phenom after a life in obscurity. Why do you think she went undiscovered so long? Do you think sexism was involved? Classism?

John I'm not sure that there is any evidence that sexism or classism or any other "ism" was involved in causing her to be relatively obscure before the pub…moreI'm not sure that there is any evidence that sexism or classism or any other "ism" was involved in causing her to be relatively obscure before the publication of MCW. Certainly there are plenty of published women authors out there.
I suspect that there are a number of other explanations. First, I understand that her entire oeuvre consists of 76 short stories. I don't believe that she ever wrote a novel. I think it is much harder for a short story writer to obtain wide recognition than for a novelist. Alice Munro and a few others are notable exceptions.
Second, Lucia was writing in the western United States rather than the east where she might have had better access to a major editor and publisher. Who was there to champion her work during her lifetime and help her gain a national reputation?
Third, the totality of MCW can (should?) be viewed as a memoir. The whole genre of non-celebrity memoirs, as I understand it, got started in the '90's with the publication of "The Liars' Club" by Mary Karr. Since then, the genre has taken off. It may well be that the publishing world and reading public hadn't developed a taste for the genre at the time that Lucia was writing. In that sense, she may have been ahead of her time.
Finally, I understand that it's just plain hard for any author to get his or her work published and obtain wide recognition. Many authors who today are household names had great difficulties getting their work published. How many worthwhile works never see the light of day due to lack of a publisher?(less)

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Where was she born?