March Book Club Selection

 

Our March Book Club selection is a dual-narrative novel in which a modern-day woman finds inspiration in hidden notes left by her home’s previous owner, a quintessential 1950s housewife. Both protagonists are strong women. The lifestyle and vernacular seem very authentic to both the 1950s and 2018.

Alice Hale leaves a career in publicity to become a writer and follows her husband to the New York suburbs; she is unaccustomed to filling her days alone in a big, empty house. But when she finds a vintage cookbook buried in a box in the old home's basement, she becomes captivated by the cookbook’s previous owner--1950s housewife Nellie Murdoch. As Alice cooks her way through the past, she realizes that Nellie left clues about her life within the cookbook’s pages, including a mysterious series of unsent letters penned to her mother. As she discovers remarkable parallels between this woman’s life and her own, it causes her to question the foundation of her own relationship with her husband--and what it means to be a wife fighting for her place in a patriarchal society.

Soon, Alice learns that while baked Alaska and meatloaf five ways may seem harmless, Nellie's secrets may have been anything but. When Alice uncovers a more sinister--even dangerous--side to Nellie’s marriage and becomes increasingly dissatisfied with the mounting pressures in her own relationship, she begins to take control of her life and protect herself with a few secrets of her own. Author Karma Brown commented that social expectations for women, especially married women, may not have changed as much as it seems on the surface. Unfortunately, the norm is that the husband's career is still prioritized. Women tend to be the ones expected/assumed to give up their ambitions and goals for the family's sake. That concept emerged subtly as the dual timelines evolved.

I enjoyed the inclusion of recipes throughout the book of foods from the 50s. Also, it was clever how each chapter began with a snippet of expectations for women from a certain era found in books, movies, and magazines. For example, "Remember, your most important job is to build up and maintain his ego (which gets bruised plenty in business). Morale is a woman's business." Edward Podolsky from his book Sex in Wedded Life, written in 1927.

Part of our book discussion involved talking about our mothers, favorite family recipes, and certain expectations for women from our childhoods.   

This recent book club gathering was an exception to our regular monthly meetings. Martha, responsible for snacks, chose recipes frequently referenced in the book. But first, she created a persona for herself, becoming a 1950s housewife.  

Her pearl necklace, pink apron, and head scarf were just the perfect outfit. Her snacks morphed into a dinner of chocolate chip cookies, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, orange jello, grapes, and nuts. Note on the plate with cookies were edible flowers, as the book had many gardening references. Of course, wine is always a good beverage choice.   

Francine, the hostess, dug out her Betty Crocker Cookbook, which sparked more conversation among us all. 

Looking for recipes? I suggest you read the book. 

What a fun afternoon!