Beatrice Burton

I found several of Beatrice Burton's novels in an old bookstore and had never heard of her before, but since she wrote in the 1920's and that's one of my fav time periods, I decided to give them a try. This book didn't disappoint me.

It doesn't take long to figure out Ms. Burton feels about the young women of the 20's (as I suspected, and my research confirmed, she was past "flapper" age when she wrote this) and it was quite different from her contemporary, the famous Mr. Fitzgerald. At one point, she shows scorn and disappointment that the modern young woman can't fix a button on a shirt, but has no problem fixing a cocktail. (The amount of drinking that went on, both at home and in speakeasies, shows what a joke Prohibition was.) She clearly had no use for anyone who wanted to go out dancing rather than stay home or go out shopping rather than do housework.

So it was no surprise that she didn't have much fondness for her own literary creation, as Gloria, whom the book title is all about, is roaring 20's personified. "Ain't We Got Fun", was a popular song of the times, and Gloria's determined to get plenty of it, though the "not much money" line doesn't suit her a bit. She's grown up in such a house, but has clearly been spoiled, as she knows nothing of household chores, economy, or anything practical, so it's obvious she was raised like a princess in a peasant world.

Being young and pretty, she attracts a lot of men and sets her matrimonial sites on Rick ("Ricky Ticky Tavi" as she nicknames him, poor guy), because, since he's a lawyer, Gloria assumes he has plenty of $$$. He's young and just starting out, but she pays no attention to that, or anything else in the real world that doesn't suit her. Why Rick falls for her I don't know, unless he had enough competition to feel he was getting someone special, or that he was the lucky guy for being chosen.

He begins to regret that choice when Gloria spends money like an heiress, rings up huge bills, and thinks nothing of it, because, as she tells her husband, it's his responsibility to pay the bills, so he'd just better do his job and pay them. Talk about selfish! What about her responsibility not to spend way more than her husband earns, or maybe getting a job herself to pay for her extravagancies? Not something she cares to think about; anything that's not to her liking she doesn't bother with.

When Rick works long hours and wants time to rest, Gloria wants to go out dancing, or have parties at home, inviting friends whose main interest seems to be how many mixed drinks they can down without passing out. Rick wants to take life more seriously, Gloria wants it to be one big playground. As for having children, no surprise that she's not fond of the idea, not if it means having to take care of the baby herself. Anyone can see these are two people who don't belong together and never should have gotten married. Rick would have preferred a more old fashioned girl ("just like the girl that married dear old dad". No, I don't mean he had a mother fixation, I'm referring to the old time song; he'd like his wife to be more a woman from the 1900's than the 1920's.)

Soon it appears they'll be going their separate ways. Gloria reconnects with an old beau, someone with one thing on his mind, and it isn't Bible study. Ironically, when she goes for a drive with him, she appears shocked that he wanted to fool around a bit. Quite surprising for someone with a flapper mindset. Maybe the 20's didn't roar so much after all.

It takes her mother-in-law and a friend to bring about a change in this self-centered beauty. There's one funny scene where Rick's mom gives Gloria a lesson in cleaning the house, and boy does she make her work! The woman would have made a great army sergeant! When she talks about grandchildren, and Gloria annoyingly remarks that she seems to think all a woman's good for is having babies, she tells tells her there's no better purpose a woman can have. I guess that reflected Ms. Burton's feelings on the subject (though certainly not shared by women today), and also her several references to days gone by (days when she was flapper age, which was pre WWI)let you know where her heart was, and how disappointed she was with modern times. Gradually, Gloria learns to be a competent cook and housekeeper (with that mother-in-law, she'd be afraid not to).

At that time, it was fashionable for young married couples the "smart set", the "bright young things" (social standing and upward mobility) to still go on dates with other people. The idea was, why stop having fun just because you have a ring? I've read several books written in the 20's and 30's, when this was a popular view, and as long as you didn't go so far as to commit adultery, it was okay. (Hence Gloria saw no harm in going out with her ex, as long as they behaved within bounds.) However, when one of her close friends is seen around too often with a particular man, and her husband (a more traditional type), hurt by all the rumors, takes drastic measures, it makes Gloria start rethinking everything about her life, and the type of person she is.

The book ends in a way that seems forced and hurried, which is why I'm giving it just three stars. It was too much too fast, too easy, and too unbelievable.

But still entertaining, and still worth reading.

I'd also recommend "Love Bound", which is the story of two sisters, one the modern day flapper, the other a more traditional type.

P.S. You get an idea of just how popular Rudolph Valentino was, because at that time young men were called "sheiks". And young women were "shebas".… (más)

I purchased this book because our 1923 Beale Pianola came with a roll, The Flapper Wife, a foxtrot from the 1920s. Our house dates to this period, and the 'twenties have always fascinated me through the works of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and many others. Two things I must record. First, the novel mentions the term "Mrs Grundy", which is defined as "A person with very conventional standards of propriety", and is used to describe how a prude might view a particular attitude or behaviour. Second, the book mentions the song being whistled by one of the characters. Given that Gloria, the protagonist, is mentioned in the song, I found this a little bizarre. But it appears that the words were written by our very own Beatrice Burton, and the music was composed by Carl Rupp, and recorded in 1925. It may well have been a clever package deal. If you are interested in a commentary of the plot, Mary Miley says it much better than me. But this was a real gem, and its long train wreck of a trajectory ends with an abrupt climax that, deep down, I (am I a long lost descendant of Mrs Grundy, I wonder?) wanted to happen (even though part of me wanted more of a Fitzgerald real-life ending). For its historical snapshot, this is a great read. As far as literature goes, that a train wreck can drag on for so long and keep me captivated, it is a real marvel. So the next time I play The Flapper Wife on our pianola, I will be "all over it like a tent" (as Ms Burton might say).… (más)

A captivating, Facinating story of two sisters, two girls who belong to the group of women about whom all other women are wildly curious and many jealous -- business girls.
Mary Rose and Flossie Middleton prove extremely interesting -- not because they own their own living, but because they live daily lives with men. Because they see more of men they work with than the wives and sweethearts of these men see of them.Because they know more about the mysterious mail after they have worked for him a few week than the sheltered woman learns about him in a lifetime.
LOVE BOUND is an natural, portable and human story of the everyday business life for the employer, his stenographer and his wife. A story every woman will read and every man will be questioned about. (description from book jacket)… (más)