Another Claudia

Claudia and David #3

by Rose Franken

To her friends, Claudia needs no introduction. Heroine in two successful novels and chief character in a nationwide radio program, Claudia, like marriage itself, has become one of America's major institutions.

One word of warning: if you like whimsey, this is not your dish. If you are squeamish, this is not your drink. It will not take you long to discover that Claudia can never be taken for granted.

"In this book, Claudia grows up and Miss Franken makes a very skillful, interesting, and convincing picture of the process." -New York Times

Genres: Fiction, Classics

326 pages, Hardcover

Published May 1, 1982

About the author

Rose Dorothy Lewin Franken was born on December 28th 1895, in Gainesville, Texas and was one of the most popular and influential Jewish woman writers of her day. She was a celebrated Broadway playwright and director, a Hollywood screenwriter and a popular novelist whose fiction touched a sympathetic chord in American women. Franken's work reflects her personal struggle with traditional gender roles and her ambivalence about balancing domestic and career commitments.

Novelist and short story writer Rose Franken crossed over into the theater with the surprise hit of her play Another Language in 1932. Her sharp-eyed observations about the American family gave tang to her domestic dramas Claudia (1941) and The Hallams (1947). Social concerns such as antisemitism, homophobia, sexism, and war fueled her other plays such as Outrageous Fortune (1943), Doctors Disagree (1943), and Soldier’s Wife (1944).

Franken was married to William Brown Meloney who helped bring the Claudia stories to the radio. They had three sons.

Reviews

[Melanie Rightmyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Claudia series by Rose Franken.

My grandmother first piqued my interest in this series when I was young. She read several funny passages and then encouraged me to read the series when I was older, so I suppose these books hold a lot of nostalgia for me. I have read this series countless times and it is always an enjoyable read!

I do not really relate to Claudia, especially with regards to her relationship with her husband, but I enjoy reading about her life. The books begin in Manhattan during the 1940's, I find the descriptions of daily life to be fascinating. As the series progresses you see Claudia grow from a young, helpless girl, to a strong, capable woman, and while the style of the writing keeps the tone lighthearted and humorous, the subject matter can be quite heavy. This couple had more than their share of heartache, and the struggle and grief is present even in this lighthearted read. As with most books of this era, the racism and sexism is present, but it is still a series I enjoy reading.


The Claudia series

1) Claudia
2) Claudia and David
3) Another Claudia
4) Young Claudia
5) The Marriage of Claudia
6) From Claudia to David
7) Those Fragile Years
8) The Antic Years (US)
(Also published as The Return of Claudia-UK)

*Book of Claudia is "Claudia" & "Claudia and David"

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it is really quite something to have a novel like this deal with heavy topics. It was well done and telling.

[Kiera Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but sweet

[Elisabeth Perkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book a few years back and kind of enjoyed it. When I reread it and realized it is a book three of a series, was kind of surprised but I still enjoyed it. Seeing Claudia go through what she went through especially during WW2 is a different perspective on what women went through. All around a nice book.

[Joellen]

book 3

[Nancy Loe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third in the Claudia series.