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Public Smiles, Private Tears
Beverly Thyson, a swiftly rising executive in the women's retail clothing field and the wife of a quiet, unambitious husband, meets Arthur Powers, a legend in the business world and a man to match her ambition and passion
250 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 11, 2017
I think it's a nice read.
A smooth reading that touch you. The book shows the everlasting struggle that strong ambitious woman face even today. They will always struggle between their nature and inherent needs and desire, and their ambitions and career. The struggle against at stereotypes and traditions and inbred customs they were brought on. Risking their happiness they go against all in pursuit of their identity.
A smooth reading that touch you. The book shows the everlasting struggle that strong ambitious woman face even today. They will always struggle between their nature and inherent needs and desire, and their ambitions and career. The struggle against at stereotypes and traditions and inbred customs they were brought on. Risking their happiness they go against all in pursuit of their identity.
October 25, 2011
this is a must read for anyone who thinks they have had it all when it comes to relationships and the ups and downs that come with the emotions of being in love
October 31, 2011
Story of a career woman.
November 7, 2012
No book can ever be as boring as this one!
April 9, 2014
DNF, my interest was just not peaked.
Read
September 21, 2014Hawaii
July 22, 2019
Beverly Thyson es una joven normal, típica norteamericana de post guerra, (la 2 G.M) Al principio de la historia es obvio que, si bien Bev tiene una gran ambición profesional, también quiere lo que quieren todas las mujeres: casarse y tener hijos. Y básicamente el quid de la historia está en mostrar, como casi sin darse cuenta, Bev va sacrificando día a día, año tras año ese sueño tradicional va quedando relegado por la ambición profesional; aunq siempre me ha parecido que simplemente dejó de intentar enamorarse x culpa del imbécil de Frank y lo único q tuvo para llenar el vacío fue su carrera.
La novela es sumamente realista, pero sin ser cruda, acerca del alto precio que han tenido que pagar las mujeres que han abrazado una carrera profesional. Como yo lo leí muy jovencita, pasó un tiempo hasta que entendí el trasfondo de esta novela que por cierto no tiene un final feliz ni por asomo.
Lo que más me llama la atención es que, la historia de Beverly está ambientada en la segunda mitad del siglo XX, y visto en retrospectiva, casi medio siglo después, son pocas las mujeres que abrazan una profesión y que igualmente pueden conservar el sueño de una familia. Al menos, no sin grandes sacrificios personales en los que generalmente hay muchas más lágrimas que sonrisas.
La novela es sumamente realista, pero sin ser cruda, acerca del alto precio que han tenido que pagar las mujeres que han abrazado una carrera profesional. Como yo lo leí muy jovencita, pasó un tiempo hasta que entendí el trasfondo de esta novela que por cierto no tiene un final feliz ni por asomo.
Lo que más me llama la atención es que, la historia de Beverly está ambientada en la segunda mitad del siglo XX, y visto en retrospectiva, casi medio siglo después, son pocas las mujeres que abrazan una profesión y que igualmente pueden conservar el sueño de una familia. Al menos, no sin grandes sacrificios personales en los que generalmente hay muchas más lágrimas que sonrisas.
June 21, 2022
I somehow can relate to the situation of the main character; however, i find the flow of the story dull.
January 8, 2023
Homemaker vs career women. It reads like a bed-to-bed story. Too many unnecessary characters.
March 5, 2021
1940's, New York.
This is the story of Bev, Beverly Thyson.
But not only.
Personally, I think this is the story of millions of women who have always fought to overcome society's standards, and be exactly who and what they always wanted to be. To live their own life in their own terms.
Bev has always been an ambitious woman, often mistaken as arrogant, wanting to put her career, her passions, and her personal growth, before the idea of marriage, of a man, and to settle and start/form a family. That wasn't her first choice, nor her priority, as it was expected of women.
After her first heartbreak over a man who deeply hurt her, she felt ashamed of herself, often reiterating her self hatred for allowing herself to trust a man. And after that, she takes some time to heal, doing things she never thought she would be able to do before.
So, of course, her journey to healing wouldn't be an easy one, and definitely not an immediate one.
After some time, she finds someone special to share her life with, gets married, and for a short time every thing seems to go for the better.
Now it's when, for my own personal opinion, the story takes a turn.
Initially, I was excited to read this book because of this feminist angle that it takes, because of the idea of the female revolution that I'm deeply fond of, and feel apart of. And through the pages of the first chapters, I also felt a connection to Bev, and in a way, I related to her, to her outlook on things. As I started to know her, I simultaneously started to feel understood, and less alone. I love when books and characters, authors, are able to do that, and make me feel this way.
What has tied me the most to Bev, has been her relationship with her parents, more specifically her relationship with her father. I saw myself and my dad in it.
My dad is one if the few people on Earth who mean the most to me, I would do anything for him. And I can't deny the fact that I have cried, a lot, whenever I saw this similarity between them and us.
I have to say, I will always carry with me my journey with this brilliant woman.
This is the story of Bev, Beverly Thyson.
But not only.
Personally, I think this is the story of millions of women who have always fought to overcome society's standards, and be exactly who and what they always wanted to be. To live their own life in their own terms.
Bev has always been an ambitious woman, often mistaken as arrogant, wanting to put her career, her passions, and her personal growth, before the idea of marriage, of a man, and to settle and start/form a family. That wasn't her first choice, nor her priority, as it was expected of women.
After her first heartbreak over a man who deeply hurt her, she felt ashamed of herself, often reiterating her self hatred for allowing herself to trust a man. And after that, she takes some time to heal, doing things she never thought she would be able to do before.
So, of course, her journey to healing wouldn't be an easy one, and definitely not an immediate one.
After some time, she finds someone special to share her life with, gets married, and for a short time every thing seems to go for the better.
Now it's when, for my own personal opinion, the story takes a turn.
Initially, I was excited to read this book because of this feminist angle that it takes, because of the idea of the female revolution that I'm deeply fond of, and feel apart of. And through the pages of the first chapters, I also felt a connection to Bev, and in a way, I related to her, to her outlook on things. As I started to know her, I simultaneously started to feel understood, and less alone. I love when books and characters, authors, are able to do that, and make me feel this way.
What has tied me the most to Bev, has been her relationship with her parents, more specifically her relationship with her father. I saw myself and my dad in it.
My dad is one if the few people on Earth who mean the most to me, I would do anything for him. And I can't deny the fact that I have cried, a lot, whenever I saw this similarity between them and us.
I have to say, I will always carry with me my journey with this brilliant woman.
September 12, 2016
It's an interesting book that looks at the changing position of women over the 50 years prior to the publishing date (1982), through protagonist Beverly Thyson and her relationships with other people - romantic, professional and friendships - as she seeks to develop a serious career for herself.
One may not agree with her choices, or the reasons, but it is always interesting to see where they lead her.
Although the evolution of the woman's role has been painfully slow, and there is still a long way to go, it is nevertheless quite remarkable when one looks back and sees just how much change there has been since the 1930s. Of course, even back then (and earlier), there were outstanding women who challenged the norms and made their own rules, but they were very much the exception. The opportunities today are very much greater for professional women in general and they owe a lot to those trailblazers.
But the challenges are great and in many retrograde societies today the position of women is no better than it was in the most backward eras of the past and there are so-called religions that seek to officially treat women as 2nd class citizens, or not even citizens at all (since citizens have rights).
A fascinating detail about this novel is that it was left unfinished by the untimely death of Helen Van Slyke. Using the half-finished manuscript and story outline, James Elward completed the book fairly seamlessly and I think it stands as a worthy tribute to the author.
One may not agree with her choices, or the reasons, but it is always interesting to see where they lead her.
Although the evolution of the woman's role has been painfully slow, and there is still a long way to go, it is nevertheless quite remarkable when one looks back and sees just how much change there has been since the 1930s. Of course, even back then (and earlier), there were outstanding women who challenged the norms and made their own rules, but they were very much the exception. The opportunities today are very much greater for professional women in general and they owe a lot to those trailblazers.
But the challenges are great and in many retrograde societies today the position of women is no better than it was in the most backward eras of the past and there are so-called religions that seek to officially treat women as 2nd class citizens, or not even citizens at all (since citizens have rights).
A fascinating detail about this novel is that it was left unfinished by the untimely death of Helen Van Slyke. Using the half-finished manuscript and story outline, James Elward completed the book fairly seamlessly and I think it stands as a worthy tribute to the author.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews