Week 96 - Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler

[Leslie]

This week's selection is Anne Tyler's 1988 novel Breathing Lessons. "Anne Tyler’s portrayal of a middle-aged, mid-American marriage displays her narrative clarity, comic timing and ear for American speech to perfection."

You can read the full article here.

With only 4 to go and only at 1988, it doesn't seem that we will make it into the 21st century. But we will see...

[Gill]

I enjoy Anne Tyler, especially Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, but I wouldn't have expected to see her on a top 100 list. Thanks for the full article, Leslie.

[Leslie]

I have never read anything by her but have seen several movie adaptations of her books (Accidental Tourist, Saint Elsewhere, etc). I agree that it was a surprising pick!

[Shirley]

Interesting, I haven't read anything by her, but I would like to try.

[Chrissie]

I like this author and have read quite a few, most of them long ago. Breathing Lessons is perhaps my favorite. I remember sitting on a bus laughing my head off.

[LauraT]

Sounds nice ... I could look at it in my third life or so ...

[Chrissie]

LauraT wrote: "Sounds nice ... I could look at it in my third life or so ..."

Ha. I am sure you have heard of her most recent, and perhaps last novel A Spool of Blue Thread. That one I gave three stars; not sure if I have changed or if her writing was better in her first books. Her early ones are my favorites.

[Gill]

I think I'm right, that several of her novels are set in the same location? In fact I think some of them are set in the same building but at different times. I can't remember which novels these are though.

[Chrissie]

Gill, I think Baltimore. I am not sure exactly which either but it could very well be the some of the earlier novels, which are the ones I have read. She has lived there, I think.

I have forgotten where her last book is set.

[Gill]

Chrissie wrote: "Gill, I think Baltimore. I am not sure exactly which either but it could very well be the some of the earlier novels, which are the ones I have read. She has lived there, I think.

I have forgotten..."
You're probably right, Chrissie, that it's near Baltimore. I seem to remember it as being by the beach, and the house being one of those clapperboard houses that I always imagine being on the coast somewhere in the United States. As you can tell my geography of America is not very clear!

[Chrissie]

Gill, my atlas is worn to pieces b/c I have used it so much.....

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

Most of Anne Tyler's books are set in Baltimore and her characters are often so similar that her previous books run together in mind. My sister, mother and I all agree that she is one author who always seems like she is writing about members of our family!

[Greg]

Somehow I haven't gotten around to reading her yet, though as Leslie I've seen one and perhaps more film adaptions.