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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
3.5+. I think reading Oranges before this certainly affected my rating. Given this is the memoir version of that fictionalized account, Oranges feels much more polished and purposeful. That said, Winterson’s prose is at once breezy and delivers a never ending stream of sucker punches to the soul.
"there I am, leaving her body, leaving the only thing I know, and repeating the leaving again and again until it is my own body I am trying to leave, the last escape I can make. but there was forgiveness. here I am. not leaving anymore. home."
jeanette winterson, my beloved ❤️
jeanette winterson, my beloved ❤️
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
In the beginning of this book I had decided I'd probably give it four stars, as I was liking it better than the previous book club book. However, at about midpoint my opinion went back down to three stars and stayed there. Jeannette Winterson is a fascinating person. She's insightful and clever, she really seems like the type of person who really takes everything into deep consideration and thinks deeply. I enjoyed her feminist ideals, appreciated her struggle with being a lesbian in an intolerant environment, and enjoyed many of her interesting phrases and thoughts. Her struggle with mental illness was particularly interesting and insightful. That being said, her thoughts tended to be scattered, and wandered around a bit. There wasn't much in the way of narrative flow, and while at first I appreciated this break from the normal memoir, after awhile it made the book difficult to get into and concentrate on. It took me so much longer to read this slim book than it should have simply because there was nothing drawing me in.
I do not exactly know what to say about this book. I do not think I will ever find the words, in all honesty. It is simply one of “those,” in that way.
I am reminded of a quote from Holden Caulfield from Catcher in The Rye, “what really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.” This is exactly how I felt while reading this, from beginning to end.
I do not believe I can accurately speak to the qualities of “Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal?” in an objective way. This is a powerful book and I simply cannot separate myself from my emotions in order to give an assessment of it. This is an emotional, heart-wrenching, personal, philosophical, and ultimately, (to me at least) hopeful story that will stick with me for years to come.
I am reminded of a quote from Holden Caulfield from Catcher in The Rye, “what really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.” This is exactly how I felt while reading this, from beginning to end.
I do not believe I can accurately speak to the qualities of “Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal?” in an objective way. This is a powerful book and I simply cannot separate myself from my emotions in order to give an assessment of it. This is an emotional, heart-wrenching, personal, philosophical, and ultimately, (to me at least) hopeful story that will stick with me for years to come.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
I thought I was nuts. Why read "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit", a semi-autobiographical novel, and then listen to a semi-fictional memoir, "Why Be Happy When You Could be Normal?"? I loved the experience. Both books complemented each other. One is about the horrific adoptive mother. The other is about the search for the mother who abandoned. I loved hearing Winterson's real voice, tough and acrid, speaking about some soft and subtle subjects. Winterson is human and humane, rational and emotional. Her journey is well-written, individual and universal.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Dies ist gewiss eine untypische Autobiographie, aber genau das Untypische macht diese sehr interessant.
Jeanette erzählt ihre Geschichte nicht nur von außen, sondern geht auch viel auf ihre innere Welt, Gefühle, Gedankengänge und Überzeugungen ein. Das regt einen selbst zum Nachdenken und Reflektieren an, so wie es das Buch interessanter als typische Autobiogrphien macht.
Jeanette erzählt ihre Geschichte nicht nur von außen, sondern geht auch viel auf ihre innere Welt, Gefühle, Gedankengänge und Überzeugungen ein. Das regt einen selbst zum Nachdenken und Reflektieren an, so wie es das Buch interessanter als typische Autobiogrphien macht.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Homophobia
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced