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A Celibate Season
In an original collaboration two award-winning authors, Carol Shields and Blanche Howard, have written an immensely enjoyable novel which give us both sides of a story about the breakdown of traditional roles, rules and communication in a marriage.A CELIBATE SEASON is the story of a married couple, Jocelyn and Charles, (Jock and Chas) and their self-imposed separation of ten months when Jock accepts a job in a city more than three thousand miles away from her family. As "breadwinner" and suddenly "single" again Jock is confronted with local politics, loneliness and advances from the opposite sex. Meanwhile back at home, Chas, an unemployed architect, is now a "single parent" who has to reacquaint himself with his teenage children, Mia and Greg, learn to run a household and shift his career priorities. Throw in an attractive young housekeeper, a mother-in-law who enjoys her wine, a touch of teenage angst, some unexpected home renovations and a disastrous Christmas dinner and you have modern family life.
231 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
About the author
Carol Shields
74 books676 followersCarol Ann Shields was an American-born Canadian author. She is best known for her successful 1993 novel The Stone Diaries, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction as well as the Governor General's Award. Her novel Swann won the Best Novel Arthur Ellis Award in 1988.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
December 25, 2022
I have enjoyed a few books by Carol Shields and was interested to see this one was a joint effort between her and fellow author Blanche Howard. Together they decided to write a story, told in letters, between a married couple who are spending a long time apart for work reasons.
Shields takes the role of Charles (Chas) husband of about 20 years and father to the two teenage children. He is having employment problems and is happy to play househusband for a while. Howard writes the part of Jocelyn (Jock), the mother who is moving long distance for a fairly important job which will keep her away for nine months. They are short of funds and decide to write letters instead of using the phone.
All good, but before starting to read the book take care to establish those names in your head. Jock is the mother - I lost count of the number of times I was halfway through a letter thinking it was from the father. My brain just did not cope with a female Jock.
The letters are good and tell a tale which is pretty predictable given the situation. They start by missing each other, move into a phase of not being much interested in what the other is doing because their own lives are so busy, and finally realise that it is going to be hard to return to their original lives. It is a domestic drama written really well and definitely worth reading.
Shields takes the role of Charles (Chas) husband of about 20 years and father to the two teenage children. He is having employment problems and is happy to play househusband for a while. Howard writes the part of Jocelyn (Jock), the mother who is moving long distance for a fairly important job which will keep her away for nine months. They are short of funds and decide to write letters instead of using the phone.
All good, but before starting to read the book take care to establish those names in your head. Jock is the mother - I lost count of the number of times I was halfway through a letter thinking it was from the father. My brain just did not cope with a female Jock.
The letters are good and tell a tale which is pretty predictable given the situation. They start by missing each other, move into a phase of not being much interested in what the other is doing because their own lives are so busy, and finally realise that it is going to be hard to return to their original lives. It is a domestic drama written really well and definitely worth reading.
October 4, 2020
Nappasin tämän kirjan kirjaston kirjeromaaneille omistetusta hyllystä. Teoksessa keski-ikäinen kanadalaispariskunta joutuu mantereen eri puolille vaimon saaman työpaikan vuoksi, ja he päättävät kommunikoida kirjeiden välityksellä. Mielenkiintoinen lisä teokseen oli se, että miehen ja vaimon kirjeet on kirjoittanut eri kirjailija.
Kirjemuoto ei ole oma suosikkini, ja tässäkin kirjassa meni tovi, ennen kuin pääsin mukaan juoneen. Lisäksi tuntui, että tarjotakseen lukijalle riittävästi taustatietoa henkilöistään kirjeet olivat aavistuksen epäautenttisia, täynnä pitkähköjä "muistatko kun silloin siellä ja siellä" -tyyppisiä jaksoja. Lisäksi minua häiritsi se, että miehen ja vaimon kirjoitustyylit olivat ainakin suomennoksessa hyvin samankaltaiset.
Itse tarina 10 kuukauden erosta ja siihen liittyvistä parisuhteen työnjaon, etääntymisen, luottamuksen ja rakkauden kysymyksistä olivat toki universaaleja ja niihin pystyi samastumaan. Ehkä kirjan ansio ei ollut niinkään itse (aavistuksen teennäisessä) tarinassa, minkä se kertoi, vaan siinä, miten se herätti pohtimaan noita isompia kysymyksiä.
Kirjemuoto ei ole oma suosikkini, ja tässäkin kirjassa meni tovi, ennen kuin pääsin mukaan juoneen. Lisäksi tuntui, että tarjotakseen lukijalle riittävästi taustatietoa henkilöistään kirjeet olivat aavistuksen epäautenttisia, täynnä pitkähköjä "muistatko kun silloin siellä ja siellä" -tyyppisiä jaksoja. Lisäksi minua häiritsi se, että miehen ja vaimon kirjoitustyylit olivat ainakin suomennoksessa hyvin samankaltaiset.
Itse tarina 10 kuukauden erosta ja siihen liittyvistä parisuhteen työnjaon, etääntymisen, luottamuksen ja rakkauden kysymyksistä olivat toki universaaleja ja niihin pystyi samastumaan. Ehkä kirjan ansio ei ollut niinkään itse (aavistuksen teennäisessä) tarinassa, minkä se kertoi, vaan siinä, miten se herätti pohtimaan noita isompia kysymyksiä.
September 3, 2015
Elämänmakuinen ja autenttiselta tuntuva kirjeromaani pitkän avioliiton kuivasta kaudesta teki minuun vaikutuksen. Kirjalla on kaksi kirjoittajaa, mutta niin hyvin heidän tyylinsä sopivat yhteen, että tuntui kuin lukisi yhden kirjailijan tekstiä. Ja tietenkin oli taas kerran ihana lukea Shieldsiä!
December 23, 2020
“We’re suffering a communication gap, that’s obvious.” This epistolary novel was a collaboration: Blanche Howard wrote the letters by Jocelyn (“Jock”), who’s gone to Ottawa to be the legal counsel for a commission looking into women’s poverty, while Shields wrote the replies from her husband Charles (“Chas”), an underemployed architect who’s keeping the home fire burning back in Vancouver. He faces challenges large and small: their daughter’s first period versus meal planning (“Found the lentils. Now what?”). The household starts comically expanding to include a housekeeper, Chas’s mother-in-law, a troubled neighbor, and so on.
Both partners see how the other half lives. The misunderstandings between them become worse during their separation. Howard and Shields started writing in 1983, and the book does feel dated; they later threw in a jokey reference to the unreliability of e-mail to explain why the couple are sending letters and faxes. Two unsent letters reveal secrets Jock and Chas are keeping from each other, which felt like cheating. I remained unconvinced that so much could change in 10 months, and the weird nicknames were an issue for me. Plus, arguing about a solarium building project? Talk about First World problems! All the same, the letters are amusing.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
Both partners see how the other half lives. The misunderstandings between them become worse during their separation. Howard and Shields started writing in 1983, and the book does feel dated; they later threw in a jokey reference to the unreliability of e-mail to explain why the couple are sending letters and faxes. Two unsent letters reveal secrets Jock and Chas are keeping from each other, which felt like cheating. I remained unconvinced that so much could change in 10 months, and the weird nicknames were an issue for me. Plus, arguing about a solarium building project? Talk about First World problems! All the same, the letters are amusing.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
March 24, 2018
Pidin tästä! Kirjeiden kirjoittamisen ajatus parisuhteen siinä vaiheessa, kun asutaan eri paikkakunnalla, oli jotenkin viehättävä. On aika surullista, että tämä hieno kontaktimuoto on jotenkin kadonnut sähköisen viestinnän taakse omastakin elämästäni. Tulin melkein kateelliseksi avioparille, sillä on vaikea kuvitella, että tällainen keskinäinen kirjeenvaihto olisi mahdollista omassa parisuhteessani. En ihan täysin pystynyt samaistumaan kumpaankaan päähenkilöön ja heidän elämänvalintoihinsa, mutta tämä oli mielenkiintoinen kuvaus siitä, kuinka osapuolten omat henkilökohtaiset muutosprosessit vaikuttavat parisuhteeseen. Lähentäen tai loitontaen. Ja kuvaus siitä, kuinka pitkässä parisuhteessa eletään hyvin erilaisia vaiheita.
July 28, 2011
I would never have thought a book written by two authors would work. However, with one writer taking the place of husband, and one of wife, in a series of letters written while they are leading separate lives (he as house-husband, she at the other end of the country in a new job), it works superbly. A very interesting collaboration.
Wonder what the email/facebook generationn would make of it!
Wonder what the email/facebook generationn would make of it!
January 5, 2016
Shields ei koskaan petä odotuksia.
February 24, 2021
Carol Shields is one of my favourite authors, so I was excited to find a book co-authored with Blanche Howard that I hadn't yet read. This novel is definitely a hidden gem. The title, "A Celibate Season", comes from St. Paul's writings where he states that celibacy is desirable in a marriage but only for a season. The characters in this book, Jock (short for Jocelyn) and Chas (short for Charles) are being separated as Jock has an opportunity to become legal counsel on a Commission about Women and Poverty. She must travel to Ottawa and leave her husband and kids in British Columbia.
Since Chas has been laid off, he starts off with a bit of parenting. They, at first, cling to their roles of homemaker and "bread-earning" husband; however, as time progresses, Jock becomes enamoured with her new freedom and feeling of self-worth and her husband gently falls into creating a home for himself and his two children. Because they are tight on money, they decide to forego phoning each other and instead write letters to each other. This way of communicating allows each one of them to share thoughts and feelings that were long buried. As they evolve into their new roles, they venture and explore their new realities. They describe their marriage now as having "stretch marks". Jock is finally feeling like an important person, worthy of being listened to and Chas is finding creative energy he never knew he had. The way Shields and Howard use language to show the growth and contraction of this relationship is beautiful. They keep the reader longing for the next letter; hoping misunderstandings and emotions work themselves out. This is a book I feel I can read over and over all the while discovering deeper and deeper meaning.
Since Chas has been laid off, he starts off with a bit of parenting. They, at first, cling to their roles of homemaker and "bread-earning" husband; however, as time progresses, Jock becomes enamoured with her new freedom and feeling of self-worth and her husband gently falls into creating a home for himself and his two children. Because they are tight on money, they decide to forego phoning each other and instead write letters to each other. This way of communicating allows each one of them to share thoughts and feelings that were long buried. As they evolve into their new roles, they venture and explore their new realities. They describe their marriage now as having "stretch marks". Jock is finally feeling like an important person, worthy of being listened to and Chas is finding creative energy he never knew he had. The way Shields and Howard use language to show the growth and contraction of this relationship is beautiful. They keep the reader longing for the next letter; hoping misunderstandings and emotions work themselves out. This is a book I feel I can read over and over all the while discovering deeper and deeper meaning.
June 22, 2024
It was interesting to read an epistolary novel - a book written in letters. Carol Shields wrote from the husband’s perspective, Chas, while Blanche Howard wrote from the wife’s, Jocelyn, a name that was unfortunately shortened to Jock throughout making it consistently difficult to keep in mind that Jock was female.
March 6, 2021
Friends Carol Shields and Blanche Howard wanted to do a project together and decided on an epistolary novel, a story to be told through the letters of a couple facing a prolonged separation. The story, first published in 1991, is set in Vancouver in the early nineteen nineties. Jocelyn (Jock) and Charles (Chas) Selby are a couple who have been married for over twenty years and have two teenage children, Greg and Mia. The family have been affected by the recession and with Chas currently unemployed, are forced to separate for a period of ten months so Jock can take a job in Ottawa, three thousand miles away. It will prove to be a time that will severely affect their marriage and a time that will pose important issues they must face about commitment, monogamy, career pressure and money.
Jock is a lawyer who has accepted a job as counsel for a Royal Commission examining woman’s poverty. Chas is an architect who is currently unemployed but looking for work and has agreed to stay home with the children. The couple humorously vow to be celibate for the year and communicate by letter rather than by phone to save money. In the novel, Blanche Howard pens Jock’s letters and Carol Shields pens Chas’s.
The couple’s first letters are romantic as they miss each other’s company, but over time their communication breaks down as their separation takes its toll. Each of the partners is stretched in their new roles. Jock in Ottawa must learn how to negotiate the freewheeling egoists that saunter about in the political life of the nation’s capital. This new experience drives her to push herself in new directions, gaining personal recognition and thinking all the while about how her marriage has limited her options in life. Meanwhile Chas is writing covering letters for his resumé, struggling to look after the house and dealing with the angst of two growing teenagers, frustrated Jock is so involved in her own career she is not interested in what is going on at home. The separation has given each partner in the marriage a wide view lens on how the other normally lives causing, both anger and resentment.
As readers follow the path of the letters, they see how at first the couple miss each other as they settle into their new lives. Each has a different view of their time apart and as the prolonged separation begins to strain the marriage, cracks begin to form in their relationship. The time away from one another emboldens them to feel freer to say things in a letter they would never have said in person. They plan a few meetings and each looks forward to them, but they don’t go well and even appear to drive them further apart.
At the beginning of the project they had planned for a grand reunion which would mark the end of their separation and they talked about it in their first letters. That was no longer a part of their conversations, replaced instead with a worry they would not be able to make the adjustments necessary to become a couple again.
Both Jock and Chas struggle to keep the vow of celibacy they had made, laughing about the idea of it before their separation. But the question becomes much more real as each is tempted to break that promise. As their letters grow less frequent, they also become more revealing and each decides to write but not send a letter to the other. Those unsent letters reveal secrets they are keeping from each other as Jock and Chas both seek the emotional comfort and approval they feel they need from others.
When Jock returns home for Christmas, she hardly recognizes her home. Chas has done some renovations without consulting her, adding more fuel to a simmering fire. A twenty-year marriage appears to be disintegrating before our eyes. They both know that when Jock’s assignment is over, they will both have difficulty reintegrating themselves into their former life and consider whether they even want to try. Eventually, push comes to shove when Jock must decide whether to accept an extension to her present appointment.
Both Jock and Chas are changed by their experience and when they return home together, the reader’s view into the lives of the couple ceases , as there is no more need for letters. Our window into their life closes shut and what happens from there is left to our imagination.
This is an interesting novel that examines many issues couples face, especially those in two career families sometimes required to live apart because of the demands of their work. The idea of having two authors write the letters allows for a different style to be reflected in their communication, making the letters feel more realistic and making this an enjoyable read.
Jock is a lawyer who has accepted a job as counsel for a Royal Commission examining woman’s poverty. Chas is an architect who is currently unemployed but looking for work and has agreed to stay home with the children. The couple humorously vow to be celibate for the year and communicate by letter rather than by phone to save money. In the novel, Blanche Howard pens Jock’s letters and Carol Shields pens Chas’s.
The couple’s first letters are romantic as they miss each other’s company, but over time their communication breaks down as their separation takes its toll. Each of the partners is stretched in their new roles. Jock in Ottawa must learn how to negotiate the freewheeling egoists that saunter about in the political life of the nation’s capital. This new experience drives her to push herself in new directions, gaining personal recognition and thinking all the while about how her marriage has limited her options in life. Meanwhile Chas is writing covering letters for his resumé, struggling to look after the house and dealing with the angst of two growing teenagers, frustrated Jock is so involved in her own career she is not interested in what is going on at home. The separation has given each partner in the marriage a wide view lens on how the other normally lives causing, both anger and resentment.
As readers follow the path of the letters, they see how at first the couple miss each other as they settle into their new lives. Each has a different view of their time apart and as the prolonged separation begins to strain the marriage, cracks begin to form in their relationship. The time away from one another emboldens them to feel freer to say things in a letter they would never have said in person. They plan a few meetings and each looks forward to them, but they don’t go well and even appear to drive them further apart.
At the beginning of the project they had planned for a grand reunion which would mark the end of their separation and they talked about it in their first letters. That was no longer a part of their conversations, replaced instead with a worry they would not be able to make the adjustments necessary to become a couple again.
Both Jock and Chas struggle to keep the vow of celibacy they had made, laughing about the idea of it before their separation. But the question becomes much more real as each is tempted to break that promise. As their letters grow less frequent, they also become more revealing and each decides to write but not send a letter to the other. Those unsent letters reveal secrets they are keeping from each other as Jock and Chas both seek the emotional comfort and approval they feel they need from others.
When Jock returns home for Christmas, she hardly recognizes her home. Chas has done some renovations without consulting her, adding more fuel to a simmering fire. A twenty-year marriage appears to be disintegrating before our eyes. They both know that when Jock’s assignment is over, they will both have difficulty reintegrating themselves into their former life and consider whether they even want to try. Eventually, push comes to shove when Jock must decide whether to accept an extension to her present appointment.
Both Jock and Chas are changed by their experience and when they return home together, the reader’s view into the lives of the couple ceases , as there is no more need for letters. Our window into their life closes shut and what happens from there is left to our imagination.
This is an interesting novel that examines many issues couples face, especially those in two career families sometimes required to live apart because of the demands of their work. The idea of having two authors write the letters allows for a different style to be reflected in their communication, making the letters feel more realistic and making this an enjoyable read.
August 1, 2018
After recently reading Carol Shields' Stone Diaries, I've been reading everything I can find by her.
Usually avoid epistolary stories (in format of letters exchanged), unsure why. But now that I've read this epistolary novel I'm fine with the format.
I've read so much Shields lately, I can only "hear" her voice in this book, which was co-written with her friend Blanche Howard (whose stories I've never read.)
Really loved this book, being immersed in other people's lives.
Only annoyance was the given names of some characters. It's usually a challenge to remember names in a novel, and I wish authors would keep the names distinct to avoid reader's confusion, having to make notes (as I often do, to keep track.
For eg: neighbors named Gil and Gus. I thot they were the same character for a great deal of this book.
Took a while to adjust to female protagonist named Jock. Husband Chas was fine.
And character Van/Vance. Just one name for him would've helped me remember it was just one character.
Too many women whose names started with "J" : Jessica, Jocelyn, Jean
Usually avoid epistolary stories (in format of letters exchanged), unsure why. But now that I've read this epistolary novel I'm fine with the format.
I've read so much Shields lately, I can only "hear" her voice in this book, which was co-written with her friend Blanche Howard (whose stories I've never read.)
Really loved this book, being immersed in other people's lives.
Only annoyance was the given names of some characters. It's usually a challenge to remember names in a novel, and I wish authors would keep the names distinct to avoid reader's confusion, having to make notes (as I often do, to keep track.
For eg: neighbors named Gil and Gus. I thot they were the same character for a great deal of this book.
Took a while to adjust to female protagonist named Jock. Husband Chas was fine.
And character Van/Vance. Just one name for him would've helped me remember it was just one character.
Too many women whose names started with "J" : Jessica, Jocelyn, Jean
June 13, 2010
I love the work of Carol Shields. Here she pairs with fellow Canadian author Blanche Howard to create an epistolary novel about a long-married couple who spend ten months apart, the woman to pursue a government job documenting the feminization of poverty and the man to stay home and care for their family and home. Over the course of ten long, life-changing months, their letters chronicle how they make do without each other, what they discover about themselves, and the separate adventures each pursues. Shields and Howard evoke with exquisite eloquence, elegance and surprising humor, the rhythm and language of life with another.
May 5, 2018
Actual rating: 4.5/5 (Very Good)
I am a huge fan of epistolary novels and A Celibate Season didn't disappoint! I enjoyed this slim book, although it got a little bogged down with the details of Jock's (Jocelyn) job with the Commission in Ottawa. I was not happy with the last few letters (I almost threw the book across the room!) in which there was a turn of events that I wasn't expecting and left me feeling disappointed with both the characters and the authors. And yet, I was satisfied with the conclusion of the story and believe it's a book I will want to read again at a later date.
I am a huge fan of epistolary novels and A Celibate Season didn't disappoint! I enjoyed this slim book, although it got a little bogged down with the details of Jock's (Jocelyn) job with the Commission in Ottawa. I was not happy with the last few letters (I almost threw the book across the room!) in which there was a turn of events that I wasn't expecting and left me feeling disappointed with both the characters and the authors. And yet, I was satisfied with the conclusion of the story and believe it's a book I will want to read again at a later date.
January 18, 2018
2.5 stars
The writing wasn't bad; the letter format did not bother me; neither did the collaboration between two writers. It just wasn't interesting to me and I found myself getting more and more bored with these people's lives. They didn't speak (or write) like normal people. They sounded just like what they were: imaginary characters.
The writing wasn't bad; the letter format did not bother me; neither did the collaboration between two writers. It just wasn't interesting to me and I found myself getting more and more bored with these people's lives. They didn't speak (or write) like normal people. They sounded just like what they were: imaginary characters.
January 7, 2019
I enjoyed this book. The structure, of exchanged letters between married partners during a long separation, was a clever way to explore as each grew into a new life without (temporarily at least) the other. I liked the subtle exploration of the changing experience, and the lesser characters of friends, workmates, neighbours were nicely drawn. Recommended.
September 3, 2007
And fuck the purple boots, too! My favorite line from this book, I do believe.
Some found this a bit slow or not very believeable and yet I found it very interesting and intriguing. I think I'll need to revisit it one day just to refresh things.
Some found this a bit slow or not very believeable and yet I found it very interesting and intriguing. I think I'll need to revisit it one day just to refresh things.
June 10, 2019
I like the letter format. I like the push and pull in a marriage. I like the early letters that made me laugh out loud. I even like the arguments (felt so real that a few times I had to make sure my husband and I were not the ones arguing). But near the end, dammit.
June 3, 2024
An experiment between two authors crafting an epistolary novel consisting of letters between spouses, one author (Shields) taking those from the husband, the other (Howard) taking the wife, during a 10-month separation while the wife pursues a professional opportunity to serve on a government commission. The story is tightly constructed and there are revealing insights about human nature, how one defines wealth and poverty, what one learns from absences, the many ways to define celibacy/going without. I also appreciated how essential the secondary characters became as the story progressed.
Admittedly, I at first found the setup and story beats very similar to Happenstance, Shields' earlier novel, but got over it as both authors wove increasingly gripping plots and revealed more of their characters' inner worlds. Overall, the inclusion of Howard's voice - and a markedly different final act - differentiated this book enough for me.
Admittedly, I at first found the setup and story beats very similar to Happenstance, Shields' earlier novel, but got over it as both authors wove increasingly gripping plots and revealed more of their characters' inner worlds. Overall, the inclusion of Howard's voice - and a markedly different final act - differentiated this book enough for me.
January 12, 2020
Vahva kolme ja puoli, parani loppua kohden. Odotin tosi paljon, rakastan Carol Shieldsiä - mutta voi olla että aikaa on kulunut ja nyt yhtäkkiä hänen parisuhdekuvauksensa onkin vähän tunkkaista ja viime vuosituhannelta?
Kirja koostuu avioparin toisilleen lähettämistä kirjeistä aikana, jolloin vaimo työskenteli toisella puolella maata. Itsestään selvistä "miten mies selviää lasten kanssa kotitöistä" ja "vaimo tekee tärkeää uraa vaikka on ollut pitkään kotona" -teemoista päästiin vähitellen kiinnostavaan - miten parisuhde kestää erillisyyden ja sen että molemmilla on omia kasvusuuntiaan. Ei mitenkään erityisen oivaltavaa tai uutta, mutta oli helppo luettava
Tästä tulee itselleni Helmet-lukuhaasteen kohta "kirjoilla on samankaltaiset nimet" - toinen samanniminen kirja odottaa lukemistaan.
Kirja koostuu avioparin toisilleen lähettämistä kirjeistä aikana, jolloin vaimo työskenteli toisella puolella maata. Itsestään selvistä "miten mies selviää lasten kanssa kotitöistä" ja "vaimo tekee tärkeää uraa vaikka on ollut pitkään kotona" -teemoista päästiin vähitellen kiinnostavaan - miten parisuhde kestää erillisyyden ja sen että molemmilla on omia kasvusuuntiaan. Ei mitenkään erityisen oivaltavaa tai uutta, mutta oli helppo luettava
Tästä tulee itselleni Helmet-lukuhaasteen kohta "kirjoilla on samankaltaiset nimet" - toinen samanniminen kirja odottaa lukemistaan.
July 16, 2023
“A celibate season” is unlike any book I have read or probably will ever read. The reader is let into the quiet and private life of a marriage and even gifted with secrets of the partners. I loved how the two, though separated by distance, still had similar feelings on their marriage, a testament to the 20 years they spent together and how well they know one another. I can imagine myself married (in many years) sitting down to read this and being delighted.
Favorite quotes:
“Austin says my anger re the house changes is because the unconscious speaks in symbols, and that a house may be the mind’s symbol for the self” (pg. 126).
“He seems to think of poetry as survival equipment, that there are times in each of our lives when it’s the only way we have of touching and coming to terms with hidden and unknown depths of feeling. Times, for instance, of new love or deep sorrow” (pg. 192).
Favorite quotes:
“Austin says my anger re the house changes is because the unconscious speaks in symbols, and that a house may be the mind’s symbol for the self” (pg. 126).
“He seems to think of poetry as survival equipment, that there are times in each of our lives when it’s the only way we have of touching and coming to terms with hidden and unknown depths of feeling. Times, for instance, of new love or deep sorrow” (pg. 192).
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October 20, 2024I was a bit wary about this 'epistolary' format, written as a series of letters between married (but parted for work) Jock 'Jocelyn' and Chas. But I shouldn't have worried with Shields as half of the collaboration. As well as the simple gender role-change there was a deeper story about growth and challenging stereotypes and the dangers of both change and complacency in a relationship. The 'celibate season' that the leads endure is very cleverly structured, with an interesting twist at the end. It's worth persevering and reading the 'afterword', which explains the hidden subtexts and metaphors that a regular reader (me!) might miss ... the growth and nurturing at the heart of the house, and poetry, politics and poverty.
September 12, 2019
Avioparit joutuvat erilleen ja etäisyys ja erilaiset roolit synnyttävät uusia ajatuksia. Viehättävä pieni kirja, jossa kyllä tulee vähän tunne, että kirjailijat ovat vääntäneet tietyt tapahtumat pakotetusti eli todellisuuden illuusio rikkoutuu.
September 15, 2017
Not as totally absorbing as Larry's Party and The Stone Diaries, but I guess that's not surprising since it's an epistolary novel and a collaboration.
November 5, 2017
It felt a bit dated and on-the-nose to me, but I enjoyed reading it in the end.
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December 2, 2019I liked the book's style...it was very clever as a joint collaboration by two authors.
September 30, 2024
This was a reread, because I liked the concept. I found both characters pretty unpleasant.
January 1, 2025
Pariskunnan kirjeenvaihdon kautta avautuu etäsuhteen aikainen kipuilu. 90-luvun alun ajankuvaa, kun ei ollut matkapuhelimia ja lähetettiin vielä kirjeitä ja fakseja.
September 10, 2013
When I first picked up this book, I thought the concept was intriguing: a husband and wife decide to write letters to each other while the wife is on location for a job assignment. It felt romantic and loyal, kind and comforting. But as the title states, the couple decide to add a season of celibacy to their long-distance challenge as well. I was encouraged by their return to the basics of their relationship, sharing their hopes and dreams along the way. As the book continued, however, the lack of physical affection took over and the book seemed to be focused solely on that. It was confusing to understand why these two characters--strong-willed Jock and her creative husband Chas--would choose to put limitations on their relationship in the first place, and it nearly cost them their 15-year marriage. I suppose the lesson was understanding that a couple can be close in proximity and take it for granted--that we should cherish the time we have with the one we love...and not willfully give it up just to see what might happen. Jock and Chas never fully recovered from their separation, despite Jock returning home. They both admitted that they had to "re-learn" the other--in physical and non-physical ways--and I'm just not certain it was the best move. I enjoyed the letter format of the book, but that was about it.
December 8, 2013
It's a light little read. Two authors tackle epistolary style - each writing one of the two character's letters. This is the tale of a husband and wife dealing with a year's separation while the wife takes on a big job on the other side of the country.
It felt like quite an accurate picture of the recent past. I was pleased to see we've come a bit further since then in gender roles. For example, the characters are hurting financially because the husband has lost his job and the wife has not yet been paid for her big government counsel gig. They are buying groceries on credit to get by. AND THE HUSBAND HIRES A MAID. And no one thinks this is extravegant or odd - of COURSE a man can't keep a house clean on his own. And The Mothers stop by every week with cassaroles to aid the poor, suffering man who has to take care of himself like an adult for ten months.
ZOMG. Wow.
The secondary characters add a lot of life to the story - including the afore mentioned Mothers. I particularly liked their son, Greg, and the crass feminist politician Jessica. A nice, quick read.
It felt like quite an accurate picture of the recent past. I was pleased to see we've come a bit further since then in gender roles. For example, the characters are hurting financially because the husband has lost his job and the wife has not yet been paid for her big government counsel gig. They are buying groceries on credit to get by. AND THE HUSBAND HIRES A MAID. And no one thinks this is extravegant or odd - of COURSE a man can't keep a house clean on his own. And The Mothers stop by every week with cassaroles to aid the poor, suffering man who has to take care of himself like an adult for ten months.
ZOMG. Wow.
The secondary characters add a lot of life to the story - including the afore mentioned Mothers. I particularly liked their son, Greg, and the crass feminist politician Jessica. A nice, quick read.
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