Tuesday Book Review #3

Today, I have a book that I can recommend without qualification. As my co-worker Magpie said to me when she gave me this book, “Do yourself a favor and read this.”. She was absolutely correct. What surprises me is that this book isn't being mentioned more. It should be flying off the bookstore shelves and into the homes of all intelligent readers. Not to mention, copies of it for all the friends of the intelligent readers.

The book is What Was She Thinking (Notes On A Scandal), by Zoe Heller. It is a jewel. The characters are compelling and, to a degree, quite unattractive. I have to hand it to the author, Zoe Heller, she doesn't waste a single scene, or word. It is a perfectly compact, darkly funny novel. when a book that is this delicious comes along, I feel compelled to praise it to the skies.

The novel is about the friendship between two women teachers. I hesitate to call it a friendship because one of the women, Barbara, is an obsessive kind of friend. This friendship doesn't grow naturally, it is manipulated from the beginning by Barbara. Sheba, the pottery teacher, is a vague woman. An English Blanche DuBois – somewhat dependent on the kindness of others. The book is told from Barbara's point of view, and what an acerbic one it is.

Here is a small scene from Barbara's life when she goes to visit her sister:

“My sister and I have a tacit understanding about my nonparticipation in religious activities. She is prepared to put up with it, so long as I keep up the desultory pretense that I am feeling “poorly”. I have spent so many Christmases at her house lying on the front room sofa, pretending to sip lemon and honey drinks, that by now my niece and nephew regard me as more less a permanent invalid.”

As pathetic as Barbara might seem on the surface, she has a humor and honesty that make the book what it is. Part of me loathed her for choosing a sad sack like Sheba when Barbara could have so easily ruled a small country. Barbara thought too small.

Sheba seems wispy and useless. Unfortunately, she has an affair with a fifteen year old student. The really awful part of the affair, to me, wasn't the the fact that he was a fifteen year old, but that he was such an awful lout. Sheba is as obsessive with her student, as Barbara is about Sheba. This all sounds like such serious stuff but the thick vein of humor that runs through the entire book made me laugh out loud. Sometimes, just the imagery alone was enough to make me fall put of my chair.

This is one of the funniest, most intelligent books I've ever read. I'd love to see what Zoe Heller could do with the phone book. The world needs more novels like this one.

I've had a rotten day and I'm not sure that I'm doing this book justice. I wish that I could start What Was She Thinking all over again and have it catch me off guard on every page with its delights. As Magpie said, “Do yourself a favor and read this book.”.