A review by krismcd59
Private Life by Jane Smiley

4.0

A leisurely but very involving meander through the life and mind of a rather unreliable narrator. Not for every taste -- certainly not for those who value plot and passion above all -- but intellectually the novel rings very true. Smiley's sense of early 20th-century American culture is deep and rich, and she has an enviable ability to create intricate communities but keep the reader interested in all the members. For fans of Gilded Age/WWI historical fiction and also those who love thoughtful inner-life stories like those by Marilynne Robinson, Barbara Kingsolver, Gail Godwin, etc.