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The Disconnected
A gripping novel of California by Kay Martin, winner of the Putnam Prize Novel Award. Red-hot bestseller in 1964-5 season.
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About the author
Kay Martin
5 booksLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Pseudonym of Adela Maritano.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Pseudonym of Adela Maritano.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 4, 2018
I bought this 1964 best seller at a used book store. The blurb promised a red-hot summer read, and I was curious what passed for 'red-hot' in the year I was born. With its references to sex and homosexuality, I'm sure it was a shocking book in its day, but it is extremely tame now.
To my surprise, this was a very good book. It revolves around the lives of upwardly mobile LA valley couples who find themselves trapped in a world of middle-class crises - money issues, family issues, and - of course - love issues. The problems that these people face are nearly identical to those we face today (except for maybe the pink dishwasher envy). Unfortunately, the racism and the anti-homosexual propaganda are entirely present in our lives today as well. (You'd think we'd all be past that by now...)
My only complaint was that the women were treated with such disregard by their partners. I'm sure this is due to the fact that the book is fifty years old, but its treatment of women rubbed on my modern-day sensibilities. Apparently, rape had a completely different meaning back in 1964, and the idea that no doesn't mean no was prevalent.
Still, it was a great read and very worth the $1.75 I paid for it.
To my surprise, this was a very good book. It revolves around the lives of upwardly mobile LA valley couples who find themselves trapped in a world of middle-class crises - money issues, family issues, and - of course - love issues. The problems that these people face are nearly identical to those we face today (except for maybe the pink dishwasher envy). Unfortunately, the racism and the anti-homosexual propaganda are entirely present in our lives today as well. (You'd think we'd all be past that by now...)
My only complaint was that the women were treated with such disregard by their partners. I'm sure this is due to the fact that the book is fifty years old, but its treatment of women rubbed on my modern-day sensibilities. Apparently, rape had a completely different meaning back in 1964, and the idea that no doesn't mean no was prevalent.
Still, it was a great read and very worth the $1.75 I paid for it.
Displaying 1 of 1 review