lyoness913's Full Review: Curtis Sittenfeld - American Wife: A Novel
Once in awhile a book comes along which takes my breath away. I can't stop reading it, I read it at work or when I am stirring spaghetti, before I go to bed and in the car, and even when I go out to eat and I am waiting for my meal. Curtis Sittenfeld's American Wife is one of these books. I had it sitting on my shelf forever and when I decided to pick it up I was in love with the main character and her story. Curtis Sittenfeld (author of 'Prep) has fictionalized the story of Laura and George W. Bush and created a tantalizing romantic drama which allows the reader into the hearts and minds of the characters. I know that American Wife is a work of fiction, but I have to say that I've gained a new respect for Laura Bush. I didn't know much about her at all before I read this book, and I found myself drawn to her biographies and any other information I could find on the former First Lady.
Charlie and Alice Blackwell weren't always a couple. Alice grew up middle class, and was born in 1946. She was a very nice girl with a beautiful disposition. When she was only seventeen she was in a car accident which was her fault. The result was the death of her high school crush. Alice took years to get over this tragedy and really never did. Alice's influences included her Grandmother who was actually a lesbian (which just wasn't talked about in those days). When Alice became pregnant by Andrew Imhoff's (the boy who was killed in the car accident) brother, Alice's Grandmother knew exactly what to do and set Alice an appointment with her girlfriend who was a gynecologist.
Alice loves her job as a Second Grade teacher and also loves her later position as a librarian. She thinks that reading is so important for adults and children, and really enjoys sharing stories and reading. She is happy with her work until she is in her early 30's. When Alice meets Charlie at a friend's barbeque, he is supposed to be there to date her friend Dena. Charlie and Alice hit it off immediately and fall hard for one another, but Dena doesn't understand and her friendship with Alice is ruined. Alice is then taken into the Blackwell family's den, which is a private resort. She meets the whole family, which is governed by the current Governor of Wisconsin and his wife, affectionately named 'Maj' which is short for 'Her Majesty.' Alice is completely caught off guard and overwhelmed by the Blackwells who are crude, crass and rich. It seems as though the family hasn't scared Alice to death however, because she and Charlie decide to marry anyway.
Alice must quit her position at the Elementary School and support Charlie while he enters a race for Congress which is a failure. Following the campaign, Alice and Charlie are very much in love but she is aware of his excessive drinking. They have a daughter together, Ella, and Alice seriously starts to worry about his influence on her. When Charlie decides to be a partner in ownership of the Milwaukee Brewers, Alice thinks that he will change. However, when he doesn't, she takes Ella to her mother's home. When she decides to go back and work on her family, Charlie has turned over a new leaf. He has found God, and completely stopped drinking.
We then follow Alice and Charlie to the Governor's mansion and then to the White House. The progression to the race for Governor and to the Presidential election is not as smooth as Alice's transition from teen-to-adult-to-Charlie. The book is divided into sections which chronicle Alice's life and I wish the latter parts were a little more continuous.
Alice's character was so respectable. I absolutely loved her calm and sensible attitude. She explained Charlie's disposition and his constant need to be sarcastic and to goof off. However, she explained why she loved those exact characteristics. She knew that no one could be perfect and she was willing to accept Charlie with all of his flaws. The story flowed very easily until it was time for Alice and Charlie to be in the White House.
Of course, Sittenfeld went over Alice's thoughts on 9-11 and the War on Terror. She also wrote about Alice's thoughts on abortion. Throughout the book, Alice remained the same classy, stoic lady and I honestly thought that Laura Bush was speaking through the character (even though again, I know little about Laura and her personality). Sittenfeld has expressed Alice's character so that she shines and renders the reader helpless from falling in love. I appreciated Sittenfeld's prose and I enjoyed each word from this book. I never felt the need to skim or to 'speed read.' Instead, I read each word carefully and savoured all pages. American Wife is a novel which I hugged in my arms when I completed reading and I would recommend this book to anyone, regardless of political affiliation. I will say that I am so glad I know more about Laura Bush because she's a truly amazing woman.
I give American Wife 5 stars, and I will say that apart from the novel being a bit choppy at the end, it's definitely one of the best books I've ever read.
On what might become one of the most significant days in her husband s presidency, Alice Blackwell considers the strange and unlikely path that has le...More at Buy.com
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