An Hand des Lebens zweier Schwestern, die sich ständig streiten und doch ohne einander nicht leben können, auf der überschaubaren Bühne einer kleinen Stadt geht Rita Mae Brown an die Wurzel des amerikanischen Selbstverständnisses - auf ebenso komische wie eindringliche Weise. Zischen 1909 und 1980, mit Krieg, Arbeitskämpfen, Prohibition, Mord und Todschlag und auch Liebe, entsteht ein Bild von Amerika, das viele unserer tief verwurzelten europäischen Voruteile über den Haufen rennt.

Runymeade half South, half North, Wheeze & Juts, Nickle's birth

I started this book at the end of last month, then took a break to read a few other things, and finally finished it today while taking a break from prepping lasagnas. The easy, often biting, always witty dialogue in this book reminds me of the back-and-forth (I think between Dorian and the Duchess of Monmouth, but I'm awful at remembering character names) in Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Brown has an impressive ability to show the deep love between Louise and Juts through their harsh words and actions towards one another. So often---at least in my family---we are absolutely maddening to one another while at the same time feeling secure in our knowledge that we love one another. I'm not as close with anyone in my family as Louise and Juts are, but the dynamic is a familiar one.

My favorite quotes in this book are all from Celeste. I didn't start dog-earing until late in the story, so I can only locate two.

The first is, "Whatever the art-form, a self-conscious culture is inauthentic." (288) Thinking of my experience living in California, the hipster trend, and the over-sharing of social media, I'm inclined to agree, but it's possible I'm just an old curmudgeon. I definitely want to talk about this idea with my book club.

My other favorite is when Celeste quotes from Through the Looking Glass: "Most of our lives we drug ourselves with the delights of the future. Tomorrow. Remember what the White Queen said: 'The rule is, jam tomorrow and jam yesterday---but never jam today." (173)

I love Celeste, and I love the way that the characters face violence and fear and still have room in their lives for love and laughter. The only thing I don't love is that the characters don't seem to develop much over time. As I get older, though, I'm starting to question just how much most of us actually change over time. It seems most people (and families, communities, towns, countries) are frustratingly stuck in patterns of thought and behavior that don't serve anyone all that well. ( )

i don't like the way she writes and i have trouble engaging with her stories and characters, but by the end i found myself caring a bit about them all. ( )

One of the more original book blogs to come around in the past year is Books Are My Boyfriends. Kit, who keeps Books Are My Boyfriends, reviews books as though they were real people, boyfriends whom she has loved and lost, or whom she has had to dump for some reason or another. Kit often features pictures of herself as she goes through the emotions each boyfriend brings about. It's very funny. If you've never read her blog, you should. I mention Books Are My Boyfriends because I intend to "borrow" the idea just for today.

You know the type of guy who ought to be perfect. Good looking, talented, gainfully employed, intelligent. But somehow lacking that one little thing that you can't quite name. Your friends all love him. Your parents love him. There's nothing really wrong with him, except for that one little thing that you really wish you could ignore since you're the only person bothered by it.

That's just how I felt about Six of One by Rita Mae Brown, the book my book club will be discussing today. I read just over 150 pages before stopping. I liked it, but I would have liked it better as a short story. I felt the same way about the Eudora Wealty novel we read last year, The Optomist's Daughter. But I think the things about each that I didn't like, are things other readers will love.

Both books are very Southern, steeped in the South. If you're a fan of Southern writers, you should probably read Six of One. I was constantly reminded of my very Southern relatives, though not in a good way. Not for me at least. When my Southern relatives tell you they have a good joke, you may as well sit down and put your feet up because the punch line is going to be a long time coming. They beleive that any story worth telling is worth embellishing, a lot. This tendency towards gab, is something Rita Mae Brown portrays very well, with natural dialogue that both builds her characters and brings laughter. It's funny stuff. But it does go on. Just like Eurdora Wealty. This is fine in a short story like "Why I Live at the P.O." or "Petrified Man," but it can become a chore in a novel length work.

Six of One is about two feuding sisters, their friends and family, and the "daughter" that one of them raises. I think the book would make a nice pairing with Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford. Both novels create a town without men. There are men in both books, even some interesting characters, but in both books it's the women, the two sisters in particular, who really count. Both books have two sisters and the two sets of sisters have a matching dynamic. Ms. Gaskell's sisters get along with each other while Ms. Brown's do not, but other than that, they were remarkably similar. Each features a cast of women spanning social classes, each has a 'sort of' daughter, each has an admired brother who leaves town. I'd be interested to know if anyone out there has read both books and found them to be the matched set I did.

So, I broke up with Rita Mae Brown's, Six of One on Thursday. It was me, all me. It's a terrific book. I'm sure there are many people out there who are perfect for it. Maybe even you, dear reader. I just didn't see a future for us together. I really needed to see other books. It's the best thing for both of us. ( )