Good Harbour

by Anita Diamant

Set in the small Massachusetts fishing town of Gloucester, Good Harbor is a slow-paced study of female friendship. Here Diamant can luxuriate in the development of just two principal characters: 59-year-old Kathleen Levine, a children's librarian who is undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer, and a 42-year-old romance novelist, Joyce Tabachnik, who has bought a summer retreat in Gloucester in the hope of finally writing a "serious" book. The two meet at temple after a service presided over by a newly hired female rabbi. (What joy it must have been for Diamant, who chronicled so much oppression of Hebrew women in The Red Tent, to casually include the presence of female clergy.) Kathleen has no real confidante aside from her husband, Buddy; Joyce is facing estrangement from both her business-minded husband, Frank, and her soccer-obsessed daughter, Nina. What the women are lacking, they find in each other. As their intimacy grows, Diamant sometimes tells us what we already know, breaking into a conversation, for example, to announce how well things are going ("They smiled at each other. They were going to be okay."). This is a moving story nonetheless--short on incident, but with carefully drawn characters and fluid, matter-of-fact prose. --Regina Marler

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Book Club, Friendship, Chick Lit, Novels, Womens

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Anita Diamant is the author of thirteen books -- including THE RED TENT. Based on the biblical story of Dinah, THE RED TENT became a word-of-mouth bestseller in the US and around the world, where it has been published in more than 25 countries.

Her new book, a work of nonfiction. PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE. A NEW CHAPTER IN THE FIGHT FOR MENSTRUAL JUSTICE will be published in May 2021., As different as they are, this book returns to some of the themes of THE RED TENT -- including the meaning and experience of menstruation.

Anita has written four other novels: GOOD HARBOR, THE LAST DAYS OF DOGTOWN, DAY AFTER NIGHT, and THE BOSTON GIRL. She is also the author of six non-fiction guides to contemporary Jewish life, which have become classic reference books: THE JEWISH WEDDING NOW, THE JEWISH BABY BOOK, LIVING A JEWISH LIFE, CHOOSING A JEWISH LIFE, HOW TO RAISE A JEWISH CHILD, and SAYING KADDISH..

An award-winning journalist, Diamant's articles have appeared in the Boston Globe, Real Simple, Parenting Magazine, Hadassah, Boston Magazine and Yankee Magazine. PITCHING MY TENT, a collection personal essays, is drawn from twenty years worth of newspaper and magazine columns.

Reviews

[Ginnie Leiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

If a married woman were to list the significant personal relationships in her life, it would be assumed that the most significant, most deeply felt, most comforting, most interactive would be with her spouse. Love those men (or women) as we may, oftentimes they would not fill the role as adequately as a trusted female friend. I had (have) such a friend. For 18 years I spoke every day with her about the significant and the mundane details of my life. The experience was never finished until I told her about it and heard her take on it. We had a standing lunch date at a local Mexican restaurant for 18 years. We now live very far away from each other and the relationship is changed by that distance but never again have I found such a friend.

This wonderful book reminded me of Maryell and our outstanding friendship and likewise, how much I miss it. I love my husband and my daughters, my sisters, my sons-in-law, my mothers, my grandchild, each with a deep and abiding affection and emotion. But none of them fills the void that a very good friend can, a trusted soul to whom you can tell anything, the good, the bad, the things you are most proud of, the things you are deeply ashamed of.

Read this book. Then go call your friend and tell her about it.

[Marcia Lonteen-Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good Harbor is at best a mediocre book. I was greatly disappointed, since I expected more from the author of one of my favorite novels, The Red Tent.
Two women meet at this harbor on Cape Ann. Katherine is a children's librarian, married and the mother of grown sons, and recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Joyce is younger, the mother of a ten year old daughter, married, and a writer. She buys a bungalow near the harbor and proceeds to paint and fix it up while her husband remains behind and her daughter is at camp. Her marriage has reached a point in which neither is very happy. Finally, these two unlikely pals meet and a friendship is forged. Each one helps the other sort through the various issues as they walk along the beach. Good Lord, am I really reading this? So many books one sees have plots just like these, with women who yearn for more. This just seems to go on ad nauseum. Joyce eventually gets involved with a local man who turns out to be a criminal, yet fails to tell Kathleen. It all turns out in the end for both women , but not for me, the hopeful, disappointed reader.

[Práxedes Rivera · Rating 2 out of 5]

This disappointingly superficial novel recounts the meeting of two women who become friends over a summer. There were ample opportunities to make the plot more interesting, but a ton of the writing focused on how much everyone worried about not sharing painful memories or sordid details.

A bit more follow through on all the plans would have greatly added to this book. BTW, Diamant's other novel 'The Red Tent" is fantastic, so if this is your first exposure to her work do give that tome a second chance.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK
Narrated by Jennifer Wiltsie

This was a quick gentle flowing story. It had a few themes, of friendship, of family, secrets and of healing. The narration was great.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed when I first began reading Good Harbor. I had read The Red Tent and remembered Diamant as a better writer. It could have been the contrast with the previous book I read - Dept of Speculation by Jenny Offill which was so well written. There is nothing new in Good Harbor. It is the story of two women who become friends: an older woman, Kathleen, going through breast cancer treatment and a younger woman, Joyce, who is dealing with empty nest syndrome. The story marches on slowly until it races at breakneck speed in the last quarter where most of the action happens. Good Harbor feels like a Hallmark movie on Lifetime TV.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tend to agree with another reviewer who felt used, like the author had a deadline to meet for her editor and didn't give the ending the time necessary to make it decent. I also agree with another reviewer that I found Joyce to be dull--I guess maybe she was more petulant than dull, but still not appealing. I would definitely not have been able to maintain a friendship with her. I also thought that Joyce's affair was ridiculously pathetic, and while it was a way to get Kathleen to reveal her own details about her past and guilt she carried, much of the prose seemed to only scratch the surface of any of the relationships in the book; so, the story overall was less interesting because of its lack of depth and development.

I've heard great things about The Red Tent, but Good Harbor is amateurish at best. It's another book that I only finished because I was too bored on several flights for work travel.

[Strother · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very quick read from an author I have loved, on themes I was mostly not versed in. Though the women's circumstances were thankfully unfamiliar to me, I would recommend this book to anyone who has struggled to make friends during a transition or a tough personal time, and who knows (or wants to know) the blessing of walking and talking with good company. The harbor of the book's title is not only Joyce and Kathleen's favorite stretch of beach, but a metaphor for the haven they become for one another and the confessional absolution of talking with a trusted confidante. Skip the cheesy book club questions, but do pass it on to a friend or walking buddy.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never knew that Anita had written anything besides the Red Tent. I was at a conference and I sat in on a forum with her and Maggie Anton. This book was a lovely surprise. It is not a Shakespearean masterpiece but a wonderful feel good book about friendship and life. There were a few surprises along the way that reminded me that this was a work of fiction but otherwise I totally could see myself sitting right next to these ladies and watching a friendship bloom! I highly recommend it and it even has discussion points in the back. A wonderfully written warm and fuzzy book that turned into a page turner!

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story involved breast cancer – DCIS – which I have had, and it was somewhat interesting to read about that. However, I didn’t get it at all when the woman’s first and only reaction to the mastectomy option was horror…wouldn’t even consider it. That seemed unrealistic to me, that she didn’t at least acknowledge the worth of mastectomy.

Um, it was good, I guess. I mean, I stayed interested and all, but it just seemed a little too simple, contrived; made use of too many tired stereotypes. The friendship was too contrived.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my second Diamant read this year, and I know why I am attracted to her books. Her writing is elegant and clear. Her characters are women I would like to know and probably would befriend. The women in Good Harbor remind me of people I know...and love. In fact, there are elements of their friendship that feel very near. Such a good read!
This is another book I found at the little library store in Florida...love that place!

[Jennifer G · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok... it's a feel good book except for a few details - apparently it is normal or acceptable to cheat on one's husband?

Not a story that will stay with me. I think I've already forgotten it :)

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rated this book 4 stars not because it was incredibly written or researched, etc. but for the shear joy it gave me in reading it. Yes it was a very light read; and yes it would probably rate as chic-lit book, or a so called beach-read. But don't we all need one of those occasionally, especially in January?! Well I did and I'm not sorry for it. At least it wasn't a romance novel. Horrors. Shudders.
It describes basic family life for two woman, one in her mid-fifties who discovers she has breast cancer. The other is a writer, early forties, with a pre-teen daughter. They meet and develop a friendship, share family stories and issues, and support each other in their trials. Real life stuff we all deal with.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of their beach walks. I've been inland for the past 20 years but spent most of my life near the coast. I miss it SO much. It's a warm and fuzzy book and will make you smile and appreciate your family and life a little bit more.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Readable but mind-numbingly bland story which comes from the same mind as the astonishingly good 'The Red Tent'. Another case of one-hit-wonderism, I can't help but feel sorry for authors such as Diamant who clearly peak with their first novel and spend the rest of their career in a futile attempt to try and reach those dizzying heights once more. Okay admittedly that's a bit of an assumption given that I've not read any of her other books, but after reading this one I'm not sure I ever will.

Typical case of 'well there's nothing really bad about it, but also nothing really good about it either'. 'Good Harbour' is a twee and so-wholesome-its-sickening story about two middle-aged women who become friends and help each other through some cliched life shit. Kathleen has just been diagnosed with breast cancer, the same disease which took her beloved sister's life, and Joyce, a romance author who's disdainful of romance novels, has just moved to an idyllic seaside town near Boston and realised that a beautiful setting is no cure for mid-life-crisis-y style boredom.

When the two women meet they predictably realise that they fill a void in each others' life, and suddenly every one of their woes is solved by a walk on the beach (at Good Harbour). I mean obviously there's some plot points thrown in there, and a so-subtle-you're-not-even-sure-it's-there build up to THE dramatic event that you learn about at writing school, but essentially this is a book about two women who become mates. With some Jewish culture thrown in for good measure.

Disappointing, to say the least, when an author whose debut novel would definitely appear on my top 20 books of all time, writes something so beige it could be used as a backdrop to Great British Railways. I must be glutton for punishment because as I put this back on the bookshelf I picked up 'Her Fearful Symmetry' by Audrey Niffenegger ('The Time Traveller's Wife'). Let's hope lightning doesn't strike twice...

[Nanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy "simple" stories about family and friends and this one, in my opinion, hit the mark. This read very quickly with a few messages intermingled between the various relationships. I didn't feel the friendship between the two women was lame or juvenile at all. When I finished it left me contemplating their experiences within the story. BTW, I enjoyed the town of Gloucester and can see why so many people enjoy walking along the waterfront.
npl- expand your horizons: read a book set in a location you have visited - Gloucester

[Michelle Morrill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diamant is a master storyteller of women and their relationships. The Red Tent is one of my favorite books of all times. This was quite different though. Present day and centered around two women, one in her 40s and the other in her 50s, each going through some personal conflicts, they forge a friendship that allows them to open up about their past. There were many elements that promoted the pondering of so many things about the life of a wife, mother and friend. Simply written and very short, it was more of a quiet, thought-provoking read. Not the grand masterpiece level of The Red Tent but worthy of merit in its own category.

[Lynn G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The two primary women characters, Joyce and Kathleen, seem much more three-dimensional than do any of the men. The reader receives only sketchy outlines of the husbands, sons, friends, and lovers. It's as though the men were pulled into the plot line without a clearly defined purpose.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story circles around two women who develop a friendship through the time spent walking along the beach known as Good Harbor. One of the women is caught up in the midst of breast cancer treatment and while the other is making over her newly purchased summer cottage. Each woman navigates the changes in her life in her own way. Each women endures a season of aloneness, a shift in the sense of place in the world. There is a rash of crazy thinking and risky choices, a pulling inward and running away.As the calendar turns from April to September, secrets are shared,guilty weights are eased, long frozen pain unarmed. Self awareness and compassion rise. The friendship stretches around all the lonely hurt and nurtures growth and wholeness. Good Harbor is a fine picture of the benefits a good friendship.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd Anita Diamant book that I have read and have enjoyed this book as well even though Red Tent is a stronger book. Good Harbor is completely different than the Red Tent, but Diamant proves herself a very good writer no matter what time era a story takes place. Good Harbor is a story of the importance of friendship and I think is perfect for the 40-60 year old woman and although I am not in that category, I still appreciate many aspects of this book. Kathleen is dealing with illness and Joyce is dealing with boredom and the setting of Cape Ann, Massachusetts. The nautical setting provides a nice landscape and there is an even tone to this book which made me breeze right through it. This is great for a summer/vacation read, but no matter what, I would recommend it.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Diamant's writing style. This book enveloped me in comfort, cozied up in a big chair with my dog. Friendships, like the one enjoyed by Joyce and Kathleen, are a gift. I find that the older I am, the more difficult it is to make new friends, especially intimate friends. This is a quick read that left me feeling peaceful and happy.

[Kimberley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I seldom abandon a book, but I'm done with this one at page 106. I love Anita Diamant, and I love The Red Tent, but this book is just too...boring. My summer reading time is too precious to drag myself through this mediocre book. Next!

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was about two jewish women in a small beachside community who become friends during a critical time in both their lives.

I thought this book was ok. The story didn't really grab me but is was short and I could read it fairly quickly.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel but I think it has to be read at a particular place and time in someone’s life for it to work.

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and easy read, kept me entertained on the train to and from London but not sure I would have finished it otherwise.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I don’t think it’s Anita Diamant’s best work (I think that title is for The Red Tent, though this is only the second I’ve read by her), I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’m a sucker for books about the relationships women have with each other, and this book about a fast friendship between two Jewish women grew on me quickly. How, while, each woman had a vastly different life, they were still able to find much more in common as the book went on. With elements of grief for family and marriage were additional themes, and played well to the story, the heart of this book is the friendship. The love of a friend is irreplaceable and this has me thinking of all of the wonderful women I am friends with. Solid read and I look forward to more of her work!

[Cheryl Licata · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel brings together Kathleen, 59 years old, a children's librarian for 25 years, and Joyce, 42 years old, a romance novelist. Their challenges come to the forefront as the two women talk and walk along Good Harbor Beach. Their friendship blossoms in the sand and the water. Although the two women are Jewish, a Catholic priest plays a prominent part at the end of the story when he says, "God's love does take shape in the world. In the glory of sky and sea. In the beauty of forest and garden. And most of all in the faces of the people who surround us with understanding and compassion, with friendship, respect, and with love." I've learned this is so true.

[Julie Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a dear friend. My friend had read it after being told she had cancer.
The story is profoundly touching. Very powerful narrative. I would recommend this book.

[Kathryn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming story of the importance of women's friendship at all phases of our lives.

[Peg (Marianna) DeMott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure this was this was the second time round for this book. With a publication date of 2003, it's pretty easy to believe I may have forgotten all about reading it the first time around. It was new enough that I thoroughly enjoyed it once again, this story of two women who find solace in each other during difficult times..

[Lizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must have read this before I started using GoodReads, because I didn't realize I'd already read it until I was partway through. I decided to finish it because it's a good book - it's a short, easy read with a nice story. I think I also got more out of reading it now than when I was in my early 20s, because now I've worked on the North Shore for a few years and have had a bit more life experience to even pretend to relate to the women. And now I must visit Good Harbor beach!

[Ali McNeely · Rating 2 out of 5]

Far and away my least favorite of her novels. Couldn’t connect with either character, but especially Joyce.