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The Obituary Writer - Ann Hood
The Obituary Writer
by: (author)
3.53 85
A sophisticated and suspenseful novel about the poignant lives of two women living in different eras.On the day John F. Kennedy is inaugurated, Claire, an uncompromising young wife and mother obsessed with the glamour of Jackie O, struggles over the decision of whether to stay in a loveless... show more
A sophisticated and suspenseful novel about the poignant lives of two women living in different eras.On the day John F. Kennedy is inaugurated, Claire, an uncompromising young wife and mother obsessed with the glamour of Jackie O, struggles over the decision of whether to stay in a loveless marriage or follow the man she loves and whose baby she may be carrying. Decades earlier, in 1919, Vivien Lowe, an obituary writer, is searching for her lover who disappeared in the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. By telling the stories of the dead, Vivien not only helps others cope with their grief but also begins to understand the devastation of her own terrible loss. The surprising connection between Claire and Vivien will change the life of one of them in unexpected and extraordinary ways. Part literary mystery and part love story, The Obituary Writer examines expectations of marriage and love, the roles of wives and mothers, and the emotions of grief, regret, and hope.
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Format: hardcover
ISBN: 9780393081428 (0393081427)
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Pages no: 294
Edition language: English
Bookstores:
Community Reviews
My Never Ending List
My Never Ending List rated it
4.0 The Obituary Writer
When I read an obituary, I am expecting it to contain certain information. When Vivien writes an obituary, she isn’t concerned about dates and events, she wants to capture the whole individual. Vivien sets the stage for the survivors in her home, serving them comforting beverages and snacks as they ...
In Love of Books and Friendship
In Love of Books and Friendship rated it
4.0 The Obituary Writer
Ann Hood's novel of two women from different era's each tells a story of life from their perspective. As Vivien and Claire's stories unfolds they eventually convene together in a way that displays women of their time in history. Vivien is the obituary writer and lives in Napa in 1919. A survivor o...
Marion Marchetto
Marion Marchetto rated it
4.0 The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood
This is a story of hope. We begin with Claire, a wife and mother who does her best to be everything she was brought up to be. While she goes through the motions of her life -caring for her daughter and her husband, maintaining a clean and comfortable home, being the perfect social hostess – she feel...
Constantly Moving the Bookmark
Constantly Moving the Bookmark rated it
5.0 The Obituary Writer
Despite moral objections from her friends, Vivien Lowe is blissfully happy living in her new San Francisco home with her (married) lover, David. When the great earthquake hits in 1906 many lives are lost. Vivien manages to survive, but does not know what happened to David. Encouraged by her best ...
lisa's reviews
lisa's reviews rated it
3.0
This was a good read, and it has inspired me to read poetry again. I felt like the stories didn't really go together though, and I would have liked each one as their own book,
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