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yeahdeadslow's review
4.0
Life has been strangely hectic lately and I've been feeling quite scattered. Obviously, as I finished this book two weeks ago (I think?), but am only now writing a review. But Extra Innings turned out to be a fortuitous choice of book to read during this time.
I've read and enjoyed several of Doris Grumbach's novels and her journal Fifty Days Of Solitude, but for some reason I didn't realize she had written many other journals. In fact, a lot of this book had to do with the then-recent publication of her journal Coming into the End Zone, which dealt with her dislike of aging. Many instances in Extra Innings she receives communication from fellow aging persons telling her she is wrong to feel the way she does about aging. I found this rather amusing, as I believe she did too. Doris Grumbach admits she is often accused of being cranky, but either this book wasn't as cranky as her others or I recognized a kindred cranky spirit in her and wasn't bothered in the least.
I find her writing so endearing and wise. A feeling similar to that I got when reading May Sarton's journals, but Doris Grumbach's writing doesn't inspire the same (unhappy?) emotional restlessness that I remember getting from Sarton's writings.
As I mentioned before, life has been busy (and universally troubling) lately, but opening this book to read was instantly calming. It's not that Doris writes of a world that is free of woe and struggles, but somehow her daily goings-on, her perspective, her musings on life and its absurdities is somehow incredibly soothing to me.
I've read and enjoyed several of Doris Grumbach's novels and her journal Fifty Days Of Solitude, but for some reason I didn't realize she had written many other journals. In fact, a lot of this book had to do with the then-recent publication of her journal Coming into the End Zone, which dealt with her dislike of aging. Many instances in Extra Innings she receives communication from fellow aging persons telling her she is wrong to feel the way she does about aging. I found this rather amusing, as I believe she did too. Doris Grumbach admits she is often accused of being cranky, but either this book wasn't as cranky as her others or I recognized a kindred cranky spirit in her and wasn't bothered in the least.
I find her writing so endearing and wise. A feeling similar to that I got when reading May Sarton's journals, but Doris Grumbach's writing doesn't inspire the same (unhappy?) emotional restlessness that I remember getting from Sarton's writings.
As I mentioned before, life has been busy (and universally troubling) lately, but opening this book to read was instantly calming. It's not that Doris writes of a world that is free of woe and struggles, but somehow her daily goings-on, her perspective, her musings on life and its absurdities is somehow incredibly soothing to me.
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