All About Books discussion

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...

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.

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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!

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