| June 21, 1998 Isabel's Bed
by Elinor Lipman (1995). Harriet Mahoney is a writer.
Well, she wants to be one, although she's actually mostly a secretary who needs to get out
of New York. Isabel Krug is a famous mistress whose lover was killed by his own wife
in Isabel's bed. She wants to write her side of the story, but she needs a
ghostwriter. When Harriet and Isabel meet, each of them sees in the other her chance
to realize her own dreams. This novel follows them through hilarious ups and downs
on Cape Cod and in New York, and it shows how two unlikely women become best friends and
help each other achieve happiness. The best thing about Harriet and Isabel is that
they discover that they really do need each other, but not for the reasons they
thought.
The Catch Trap
by Marion Zimmer Bradley (1979). What a book! Marion Zimmer Bradley published The Catch Trap
in 1979, but it's still a page-turner in 1998. It's the story of Mario Santelli and
Tommy Zane, two trapeze artists ("flyers") traveling with the circus in the late
1940s. Mario trains Tommy to fly, and together they learn how two parts can become
a whole. Their relationship is rocky and difficult, as well as very beautiful at
times, and they have to learn how to love each other without destroying themselves.
Bradley paints such a warm, vivid picture of the circus that I was caught up in the detail
and life of it (I, who hate the circus), and her illustration of social views of
homosexuality during the late 40s and early 50s is fascinating. She tends to
heavy-handedness at times, particularly in foreshadowing ("It was the only
promise to each other they would never break . . . "), but overall this is a
great read. |
