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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
This book will stay with me. What an amazing woman. What a fabulous narrative of one of my favorite cities.
Before anyone starts to go off on me, let me say this. This book was just not for me. This is my opinion and my opinion alone.
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk follows the titular character named Lillian Boxfish. She was one of the biggest advertisers in the world and now at the age of 84; she decides to take a walk through the streets of New York City on New Year's Eve. During her trek, Lillian begins to reflect and reminisce about the past ranging from dealing with certain hardships to celebrating the good times. Additionally, Lillian just stops and talks to the people she encounters on her journey.
And that is basically the plot of this book in a nutshell. This is not really a plot based book. It is more of a character driven story and man is Lillian one hell of a character. She is fierce, She is vibrant, and She is sharp. Lillian is one the most incredible characters that I have come across. She has a very interesting life and I loved how her character came onto the page fully developed. However, even though Lillian is a such an amazingly powerful and interesting woman, Rooney does not give a reason as to why I should care about this character. Everything was done excellently on the character front, but Rooney did not do a sufficient job in convincing the reader as to why we should care about Lillian's life and her walk.
The reason why I felt this disconnect with the character is primarily due to the writing style. It is written in a very conversational manner in that the author uses a ton of compound sentences and run-on sentences very frequently. This is, in turn, disrupts the flow and cadence of the writing. It makes it harder to engage with the characters and the dialogue. This is not because of its colloquial nature, but it is due to the fact that it makes things harder to follow. Additionally, it added a layer of complexity that was not needed. I can understand how some might like this style but, for me, it really turned me off. It also made it harder for me to visualize the way in which Lillian sees the city and the people she meets.
Even though the plot is very simple, it is very repetitive. Similar things happen and we just through this monotonous routine until the end. I wanted there to be a grand point that would tie all of this together, but you don't get that. This is really just a ton of vignettes strung together, which could either work for you or not.
Overall, the things I didn't like might be the things that you enjoyed. This isn't a book for everyone. If you enjoy conversational writing along with a strong character, then you might enjoy this book. Otherwise, I would advise you to skip this book.
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk follows the titular character named Lillian Boxfish. She was one of the biggest advertisers in the world and now at the age of 84; she decides to take a walk through the streets of New York City on New Year's Eve. During her trek, Lillian begins to reflect and reminisce about the past ranging from dealing with certain hardships to celebrating the good times. Additionally, Lillian just stops and talks to the people she encounters on her journey.
And that is basically the plot of this book in a nutshell. This is not really a plot based book. It is more of a character driven story and man is Lillian one hell of a character. She is fierce, She is vibrant, and She is sharp. Lillian is one the most incredible characters that I have come across. She has a very interesting life and I loved how her character came onto the page fully developed. However, even though Lillian is a such an amazingly powerful and interesting woman, Rooney does not give a reason as to why I should care about this character. Everything was done excellently on the character front, but Rooney did not do a sufficient job in convincing the reader as to why we should care about Lillian's life and her walk.
The reason why I felt this disconnect with the character is primarily due to the writing style. It is written in a very conversational manner in that the author uses a ton of compound sentences and run-on sentences very frequently. This is, in turn, disrupts the flow and cadence of the writing. It makes it harder to engage with the characters and the dialogue. This is not because of its colloquial nature, but it is due to the fact that it makes things harder to follow. Additionally, it added a layer of complexity that was not needed. I can understand how some might like this style but, for me, it really turned me off. It also made it harder for me to visualize the way in which Lillian sees the city and the people she meets.
Even though the plot is very simple, it is very repetitive. Similar things happen and we just through this monotonous routine until the end. I wanted there to be a grand point that would tie all of this together, but you don't get that. This is really just a ton of vignettes strung together, which could either work for you or not.
Overall, the things I didn't like might be the things that you enjoyed. This isn't a book for everyone. If you enjoy conversational writing along with a strong character, then you might enjoy this book. Otherwise, I would advise you to skip this book.
Lillian Boxfish, now in her 80s, is a Manhattan icon of a bygone age, still a New Yorker who walks everywhere in the city as a matter of pride and to help with her persistent depressive personality. On this walk, taking place on New Years Eve, she decides to walk from her apartment in Murray Hill to Greenwich Village and below, then home again. In the course of her walk, this feisty woman recalls her life and her achievement in becoming the highest paid copywriter in New York. Her style of writing for her employer, R.H. Macy, is humorous and popular and she is widely revered. But when she marries, she can no longer work for Macy's and must freelance at best to help support her beloved husband and their son. And now, her son is grown, the husband is gone and she is still not alone. Because she constantly connects with people who fold her into their moments and lives in ways that are lovely, sort of dangerous and warm. This is and is not a feel good book. It is based on a woman named Margaret Fishback and beautifully written story of aging, remembrance and relevance. The narration by Xe Sands was excellent. Highly recommend.
At first, I was skeptical. By the end, I absolutely loved Lillian Boxfish! It’s been about twenty minutes since I finished the box, and I miss her already. I actually stumbled upon sections that were so perfectly true and hilariously accurate that I actually took screenshots of them. Such a lovely treat in a dim January.
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Once the highest-paid woman in advertising, Lillian Boxfish is now 85 years old, and it is New Year's Eve in 1984. As Lillian heads out into New York City for the evening, we think back over her extraordinary life in the city - her career, friendships, marriage, motherhood, and divorce - interacting with its people and lamenting its changes. It's a New York novel (with a map!), gloriously nostalgic, tender, moving, and gently hopeful. It's about the power of human connection, and what might be gained when we take risks and connect.
This is my favorite book of the year so far. I’d give it ten stars if I was able. Beautifully written, I felt as though I was on the walk with Lillian and enjoying the spots of one of my favorite cities. Perfect!
A long time. It has taken me months to read this book. I am not sure if I was not in the mood, or if I found the pathos too much, especially during this time in our American history. (Let’s NOT go there, dear readers!)
Regardless, I did finish it. If you are not already acquainted with this storyline, it is a fictionalized account of the real-life Margaret Fishback, a woman advertising genius working for R.H. Macy’s; she’s at the top of her game and the store, their fame. You follow her professional career, its exchange for marriage and motherhood, her breakdown, the divorce, and regaining her footing, and subsequent aging – beginning in the late 1920s followed by decades wedded to the City.
At times, the writing seems contrived in plot and character development; more of a vehicle for this new author to make “her statement,” rather than hearing Lillian’s voice. Yet, there are dialogue and soliloquies that make my heart ache, inform me with interesting tidbits, and give me good laughs.
“A motto favored by the ancients was solvitur ambulando. It is solved by walking. Sometimes, I might add, by walking out. I like to imagine that that irascible tub dweller Diogenes would have approved of my exit…” (p 207).
Anyone who loves New York City or has grown up shopping at the big department stores will enjoy this recent historical novel; those who appreciate acerbic wit will undoubtedly welcome Lillian into their lives, and those who have experienced the painful doubt of the self, will empathize. Lastly, travelers who meander for miles from sheer pleasure, whether they be city blocks or back country paths, will find solace in the one-day pilgrimage as they accompany this indomitable New Yorker along her ten miles.
Regardless, I did finish it. If you are not already acquainted with this storyline, it is a fictionalized account of the real-life Margaret Fishback, a woman advertising genius working for R.H. Macy’s; she’s at the top of her game and the store, their fame. You follow her professional career, its exchange for marriage and motherhood, her breakdown, the divorce, and regaining her footing, and subsequent aging – beginning in the late 1920s followed by decades wedded to the City.
At times, the writing seems contrived in plot and character development; more of a vehicle for this new author to make “her statement,” rather than hearing Lillian’s voice. Yet, there are dialogue and soliloquies that make my heart ache, inform me with interesting tidbits, and give me good laughs.
“A motto favored by the ancients was solvitur ambulando. It is solved by walking. Sometimes, I might add, by walking out. I like to imagine that that irascible tub dweller Diogenes would have approved of my exit…” (p 207).
Anyone who loves New York City or has grown up shopping at the big department stores will enjoy this recent historical novel; those who appreciate acerbic wit will undoubtedly welcome Lillian into their lives, and those who have experienced the painful doubt of the self, will empathize. Lastly, travelers who meander for miles from sheer pleasure, whether they be city blocks or back country paths, will find solace in the one-day pilgrimage as they accompany this indomitable New Yorker along her ten miles.
My favorite light(ish) read in years. Lillian is based on a real-life character--the highest paid female ad copywriter in the 1930s, for Macy's. She's witty and a shrewd observer of people, a la Dorothy Parker. Her story is revealed as she takes a 10-mile walk through Manhattan on New Year's Eve, 1984. As she meets various characters over the evening, she reflects back on her life: the business of ad writing, a wonderful and enduring female friendship, various romances, motherhood, loss. Zippy and enjoyable writing style, too, appropriate for the recollections of a writer.
"With nothing shall I be pleased till I be eased with being nothing."
I love making bookish New Year’s Resolutions – mainly having to do with my TBR pile, list, and reading ambitions but also trying new things. I always read Christmas-themed books over the Christmas holidays. For whatever reason, this year’s choices were extremely bad. Resolution: read better books this year = quality over quantity. In tandem, Resolution: Get back to reading the authors I love. Resolution: Read less library books, browse my bookshelves, and purge the ones you will never read again.
Okay, that being said, and this is going to be spoilery and rambling and run-on sentence-y and a LOT because I feel the need to write this all down and I sincerely love how Kathleen Rooney takes us on a simple journey with Lillian through such huge changes in time and how we learn to love Lillian through her growth and maturity.
LILLIAN BOXFISH TAKES A WALK is definitely hitting the parameters of 2023’s resolutions. I loved this book. The reason, the title character, the intelligent, witty, dry, sophisticated, effervescent, but ultimately very human, octogenarian who is interested in everything and everyone around her – especially the love of her life, New York City. She is smarter than everyone in the room but she is also generous, curious, well-mannered, and a delight. She is a people watcher, but not only that, she is a people interact-er (is that a word?) I love how she meets these very real but fascinating characters throughout her life and her walk-about.
As we walk with Lillian on the eve of 1985, we slowly learn about her interesting life – the good, the successful, the bad, the unsuccessful, and the ugly. I took away some life lessons as she learns her lessons. A young dreamer leaves her small town and moves to the big city of New York to become the most successful advertising woman in the world during the 1930s as well as a published poet. We walk with Lillian while she remembers the Jazz age of her youth, the Depression, Prohibition, the WWII and Vietnam wars, women’s liberation and gender equality, the Spanish flu outbreak of 1920 (which took her nursing Aunt – Lillian’s personal and professional motivation for her move), the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (I personally never knew about this and will read more), up to the current day (1984) with street violence, drugs, AIDS (there is a poignant scene where Lillian is afraid to shake a man’s hand. I > sort of < forget about those days and the fear and the misunderstanding.)
We walk with Lillian and her memories of how the changing times affected Lillian’s New York – the decline of once-vibrant areas, gentrification of other areas, and a more violent citizenry. (I say Lillian’s New York because she was on a fast track to success and affluence. Therefore, a lot of the observations made by Lillian are just that – what she viewed but not necessarily always what she experienced.) She had her own hardships and we also walk with Lillian through her personal life: family and personal dynamics (her challenging relationship with her more traditional mother and the beautiful lifetime friendship with Helen who is one hell of a besty), falling in love, motherhood, divorce, alcoholism, mental health, ageism and age discrimination (there is a particularly heart-wrenching scene during a taping of a public television program.) On a personal OMG moment in the story: even though Lillian is at the top of her field, she is let go from her position when she becomes a mother. It is hard to imagine in 2023 (gasp) but mothers were once upon a time, in the not-so-distant past, un-retained. Fathers could and must continue working – because they are family men – (what you knew but kinda forgot but should really remember about the generations of women who fought so hard and for so long so women like me have options.) Because Lillian is the breadwinner of the family, she becomes a freelancer – in tandem with her stay-at-home mother duties and all that that entailed – but don’t forget, she also had a duty to her man which also necessitated getting dolled up: clean dress, hair did, makeup flawless, but also dinner in the oven and martinis ready to go for when hubby returned home from his stressful day at work because – god forbid – she look messy after her double duties during the day. Phew!
My one regret is that I have never visited the Big Apple. As the cover on this edition states: “an ode to NYC while also taking a street-level tour through six decades of New York”. I think this book would be especially amazing for someone who is familiar with the place thus an especial walk down memory lane!
Okay, I hate to keep going and ruin the journey for everyone, although I could. There is a lot to love about this book and I will add two more things which explains my bumping up to a
I love making bookish New Year’s Resolutions – mainly having to do with my TBR pile, list, and reading ambitions but also trying new things. I always read Christmas-themed books over the Christmas holidays. For whatever reason, this year’s choices were extremely bad. Resolution: read better books this year = quality over quantity. In tandem, Resolution: Get back to reading the authors I love. Resolution: Read less library books, browse my bookshelves, and purge the ones you will never read again.
Okay, that being said, and this is going to be spoilery and rambling and run-on sentence-y and a LOT because I feel the need to write this all down and I sincerely love how Kathleen Rooney takes us on a simple journey with Lillian through such huge changes in time and how we learn to love Lillian through her growth and maturity.
LILLIAN BOXFISH TAKES A WALK is definitely hitting the parameters of 2023’s resolutions. I loved this book. The reason, the title character, the intelligent, witty, dry, sophisticated, effervescent, but ultimately very human, octogenarian who is interested in everything and everyone around her – especially the love of her life, New York City. She is smarter than everyone in the room but she is also generous, curious, well-mannered, and a delight. She is a people watcher, but not only that, she is a people interact-er (is that a word?) I love how she meets these very real but fascinating characters throughout her life and her walk-about.
As we walk with Lillian on the eve of 1985, we slowly learn about her interesting life – the good, the successful, the bad, the unsuccessful, and the ugly. I took away some life lessons as she learns her lessons. A young dreamer leaves her small town and moves to the big city of New York to become the most successful advertising woman in the world during the 1930s as well as a published poet. We walk with Lillian while she remembers the Jazz age of her youth, the Depression, Prohibition, the WWII and Vietnam wars, women’s liberation and gender equality, the Spanish flu outbreak of 1920 (which took her nursing Aunt – Lillian’s personal and professional motivation for her move), the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (I personally never knew about this and will read more), up to the current day (1984) with street violence, drugs, AIDS (there is a poignant scene where Lillian is afraid to shake a man’s hand. I > sort of < forget about those days and the fear and the misunderstanding.)
We walk with Lillian and her memories of how the changing times affected Lillian’s New York – the decline of once-vibrant areas, gentrification of other areas, and a more violent citizenry. (I say Lillian’s New York because she was on a fast track to success and affluence. Therefore, a lot of the observations made by Lillian are just that – what she viewed but not necessarily always what she experienced.) She had her own hardships and we also walk with Lillian through her personal life: family and personal dynamics (her challenging relationship with her more traditional mother and the beautiful lifetime friendship with Helen who is one hell of a besty), falling in love, motherhood, divorce, alcoholism, mental health, ageism and age discrimination (there is a particularly heart-wrenching scene during a taping of a public television program.) On a personal OMG moment in the story: even though Lillian is at the top of her field, she is let go from her position when she becomes a mother. It is hard to imagine in 2023 (gasp) but mothers were once upon a time, in the not-so-distant past, un-retained. Fathers could and must continue working – because they are family men – (what you knew but kinda forgot but should really remember about the generations of women who fought so hard and for so long so women like me have options.) Because Lillian is the breadwinner of the family, she becomes a freelancer – in tandem with her stay-at-home mother duties and all that that entailed – but don’t forget, she also had a duty to her man which also necessitated getting dolled up: clean dress, hair did, makeup flawless, but also dinner in the oven and martinis ready to go for when hubby returned home from his stressful day at work because – god forbid – she look messy after her double duties during the day. Phew!
My one regret is that I have never visited the Big Apple. As the cover on this edition states: “an ode to NYC while also taking a street-level tour through six decades of New York”. I think this book would be especially amazing for someone who is familiar with the place thus an especial walk down memory lane!
Okay, I hate to keep going and ruin the journey for everyone, although I could. There is a lot to love about this book and I will add two more things which explains my bumping up to a