Hi all. I hope everyone is doing well. I made it through my flight from Canada to LAX airport last Monday (everyone was wearing a mask, woohoo), and I have been doing okay sheltering in place near the beach at the OC. It’s been foggy in the mornings but burns off in the afternoons to blue skies. Things could be worse but I’m glad they’re not. I’m keeping safe until I can go visit my folks about an hour away. I actually have a Covid test appointment tomorrow though I have no symptoms or anything — just trying to make sure I’m clear beforehand. Not sure how long it will take to get the results, but I will find out at the test. Meanwhile I’m trying to keep sane with books, virtual exercise classes, the Tennis Channel (why doesn’t Canada have this?!), chores, and one short isolated walk per day with a mask. I feel fine — and the trip on a pretty empty plane went better than I expected.
What is everybody reading these days? Summer books? Light or heavy reads? New or old books? Or a bit of everything? I brought in my carry-on six print books (five of them fiction) and an e-reader, so I’m pretty covered. Most of these are backlist novels that slipped by me over the years and I still had sitting on my shelves. They’ve been waiting patiently and now the time has come. But first, I had to finish off Elizabeth Strout’s sequel “Olive, Again,” which I listened to as an audiobook and then I read it in print. Sometimes I do that if I’m not ready to leave a book. I’ll do it twice, and memorize it a bit, ha. I was impressed that actress Kimberly Farr was able to envelop all that is Olive Kitteridge so well. That’s a tall order, but she really nailed the narrative. Sometimes such audio narrations can be even better than what you can do in your own reading. It can happen though it’s not all the time. And now, I’ll leave you with my thoughts on it.
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout / Random House / 293 pages / 2019
It’s safe to say: You’re either an Olive person, or you’re not … and that’s Okay. You don’t have to beat yourself up if you’re not. I loved Olive in this one and I don’t even remember a lot about the first “Olive Kitteridge” novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, as I read it back in 2008 when it came out. But I do recall it brings to life a gruff and blunt speaking older lady named Olive — who’s a retired schoolteacher living in a small coastal town in Maine — as she interacts with her husband Henry, a pharmacist, and her one grown son Christopher, and the other townspeople around her.
You don’t really need to remember it well to pick up with Olive (again). Like with the first book, this novel is made up of 13 interlocking stories of characters in the fictional town of Crosby, Maine (which was named after Strout’s college roommate by the way). Some chapters feature Olive and others have her on the periphery.
The story picks up where it left off and sees Olive into her golden years. She’s a widow (after Henry passes away) and her grown married son Christopher (who comes to visit with his family in one tense chapter) lives in NYC. Olive remarries (who would believe!) Jack Kennison, who’s a bit of a dumpy endearing guy (her age), a widow too (with one gay daughter) and a former Harvard professor who was let go there after an affair with another prof. He’s perfect for Olive and loves her mostly as she is. (The first chapter about Jack getting ticketed by a cop is priceless.) And then Olive eventually outlives him and goes to an assisted living place. Along the way, the chapters include various people in the town who know Olive in ways … seemingly their stories include pretty dark, seedy problems, which surprised me. There’s abuse, suicide, drugs, cancer victims, lonely poets, affairs, and generally people coping with loss, death, and old age. Holy smokes, isn’t anyone run-of-the-mill there?
There’s even characters from Strout’s other novels that interestingly make appearances here such as the Burgess Boys and Amy and Isabelle. Then there’s Olive trying to reassess her own life and herself a bit. And although she’s her usual blunt and gruff self in some of this, she also seems quite a bit softer than in the original book. Her edges have been smoothed, and she has Jack, husband #2, who adds a lot to the book. Olive helps people in subtle ways; she busts into their lives and makes her thoughts known. She cares despite of herself … and so there is light in this book too … on top of the dark. I found many lines in it quite funny and had to laugh … with Olive being Olive and Jack being Jack, too.
However she does it, Strout is a gem of a writer who wields all these experiences and thoughts together with authentic characters: both real and fallible, warts and all.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you read this or any of Strout’s books — or what’s happening in your neck of the woods?
It seems like a very good idea to get a Covid test before visiting your parents
I have not read Strout but I think that I want to. Olive sounds like a great literary character.
Stay healthy.
Thanks Brian for the support about the Covid test. I hope the results won’t take too long. And Olive is great – I thought the sequel was just as good, which is hard to do.
I am so glad to hear the story of your trip so far.
I guess I am not an Olive person, though I read the first book many years ago. You make me almost want to have another look.
Yesterday I finished the James Baldwin biography I have been reading. Wow, David Leeming really captures the man, the artist, and his books. Impressive.
So, in 7 days you see your parents?
Hi Judy, I hope I can see them soon … I’ll see what they say at the Covid test today or how long it takes. The Baldwin book sounds great / I hope to finally see the Baldwin doc while I’m here this week, which you had liked. And I went back & read your review of the first Olive … I think the short story kind of format doesn’t appeal to all so I get that. So this one likely would be the same. I’ll keep you posted on how things progress here.
It’s a scary time to have to fly, but it’s good that people were wearing masks. Good idea to get a Covid test – Hope all is well and you will get to spend time with your parents.
Thanks Judee. Yeah I wouldn’t recommend flying if people don’t need to. Just too much uncertainty. But I will try for the Covid test today and see when I can get the results. Hope you are staying well there.
Glad you made it safely to CA! We had an interesting drive from FL to NY last week – two 12 hour driving days with a day off at the hotel in between. Despite a mask mandate in NC and Marriott company policy, we did not see a single employee with a face covering until checkout… and that woman was wearing it as a chin-guard! We were tested in NY Friday. Husband and daughter came back negative this morning, hope to get my results sometime today.
Last week I read The Daughters of Erietown and absolutely loved it! It was a read/listen combo, narrated by Cassandra Campbell. Always a treat to listen to her. This week I’m reading Beach Read (so much fun!) and listening to Mary Trump’s book. I think audio is the way to go with that, Trump reads it herself.
Elizabeth Strout is a favorite! I listened to Olive Kitteridge and loved it enough to reread in print. Have no idea why I haven’t picked up Olive, Again yet. All of her books have been a hit with me!
Good luck with the testing and enjoy your time with your parents!
Thanks JoAnn. If you liked Olive before, I think you will like this sequel. I think it could be better than the first. I’m glad you made it to NY … what a long drive and disappointing a hotel wouldn’t have employees wearing masks, yikes. I’m glad you all seem to be testing negative, hooray! I will keep you posted here. And I need to find out about the Erietown book you mention, sounds good!
So glad the flight to LA went so smoothly. I’ve yet to fly, but have been driving much more than usual. Your place for waiting looks lovely. I lived in So Cal for 6 years in college/grad school and four of those years were in Irvine, where I spent a lot of time at the OC beaches. It’s a beautiful area. Hope you’re seeing your parents soon.
I’m impressed you read and listened to Olive, Again. I read it, but by the end decided I’m just not an Olive person!
Hey Susie: hope your Montana trip went well! I remember you once lived in the OC. Well I can assure it is still lovely here, Oh my. My family has had a small cottage here since the 1980s and it’s been so worth it. We still visit every year.
It’s okay not being an Olive person. I thought all the townpeople’s problems were a bit darker or seedier than I expected. That’s the only thing that really threw me. Have a great week.
I adore Olive Kitteridge. She has to be one of the most real characters I have ever met in a book. I don’t like her as a person, but I know many, many people who are just like her. I hesitated about reading Olive, Again; I generally am disappointed with sequels. But Strout managed to carry on with Olive, keeping her blunt personality, but allowing her to grow slightly less abrasive, all of which is quite believable and fresh.
I hope your test goes well. I have a friend who was tested and she said it hurt more than she’d expected.
I hope you are able to occupy yourself during this time while waiting to visit your family. It sounds like you have brought lots of backlist books. That should help.
Thanks Deb, did you like this Olive sequel as much as the original? It’s hard for me to recall the details of the first one but I liked this sequel just as much if not more. Olive seemed to be reassessing her harshness which was good.
Ha I’m a bit worried about the nasal test today … good grief it seems unpleasant. I’ll try to be brave. After a week, I hope not to lose my marbles in quarantine. Got to stay busy.
I really want to read both Olive books, I keep thinking I’ll have time to do it but end up drowning in review books.
Wishing you a great reading week, stay well
Thanks Shelleyrae: reading this Olive book makes me want to go back and read the first one … b/c I don’t remember it well. I think it was pre-blog too. I’d be interested to see what it was like. You do a ton of review books, good luck!
Glad your trip down went well and that you’re managing while waiting to see your folks. Take care and enjoy the Tennis channel! LOL
Thanks Kay! I’m very addicted to The Tennis Channel after one week here! OMG. Perhaps it has saved me while in quarantine. Enjoy your week.
The Olive books are on my list. Another set of books that for whatever reason I’ve put off. good luck with that COVID test. I hear it takes so long to get the results back that it’s almost not worth doing but I hope for your sake it’s a quick turnaround.
Thanks Ti. I am worried to hear what they will say about the turnaround time. We have to pay for the test — since our health coverage is in Canada — so it better be worth something. Sigh. I agree if the turnaround times are really long …. then there is no way to fight the spread of the virus effectively etc. Grrr. I will keep all posted. My test is later today.
I’m definitely an Olive person. I loved both of those books and wouldn’t mind reading them again if I weren’t so busy with other new books.
Congratulations on your safe journey. It is good to see that airlines are taking serious precautions to safeguard their passengers. Fingers crossed for a good virus test, which I feel pretty confident you’ll have, and have a great visit with your parents.
As for what I’m reading, as always, it’s very mixed. I thrive on variety, but right now I’m reading Testaments by Margaret Atwood, another amazing writer.
Thanks Dorothy. I’m trying to make this trip work despite whatever delays I face. Glad you like Olive … I liked this one perhaps even better than the first! But I sort of need to reread book 1 again sometime. I read The Testaments and thought it did an excellent job of tying everything up in a pretty suspenseful way. I hope you like it! Enjoy your week.
I had to read Olive K again after loving Olive, Again so much – definitely an Olive fan here. Did you see the miniseries? fabulous.
Hi Diane: I did not see the miniseries … so I should pronto. I also am curious to reread Olive K (book 1) … since it was years ago. I’m glad you’re an Olive fan! Have a great week.
Welcome back to Cali! I’m glad to hear the trip went well and that everyone was wearing masks; it just isn’t that difficult. I’m sure it will all be worth it to see your parents.
I did read the original Olive and liked it but didn’t love it. I haven’t decided if I’ll read this new one yet.
Hi Helen: thanks for the support & it’s good to be back in California! Yep I’m close to seeing my folks perhaps this coming Monday. Olive Again might be more accessible and better in terms of Olive than the first book. It does read a bit like short stories. Enjoy your week.
I’ve now been tested twice. It’s uncomfortable (made my eyes water as the nasal swab must tickle the tear ducts!) but it’s over & done with very quickly. Both times were a negative result. Most people tested actually receive the negative result. But it sounds like you’re all sorted re books while you await the result.
Olive, Again is a true delight isn’t it. Makes me want to go back and read Abide by Me and Amy & Isobel, the ones that I have yet to read.
What were the other five books you packed for the trip?
http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-covid-chronicles-8.html
Hi Brona: glad to hear you’ve tested negative twice, way to go! This was my second test as well (one at end of June was in throat) and one now at end of July was nasal. I’m thinking it will be negative. At least I hope so. I agree Olive Again was good. And I’m thinking I will include the titles of the 5 books I packed in my next post (perhaps tomorrow). You’ve probably already these — backlist books. Enjoy your week & thanks for stopping by.
A fine summary! I’m pleased to see that you’re an Olive fan too. I read the two books far apart and enjoyed both. My husband listened to both back to back and found the second disappointing compared to the first. He might be right, but I had spent more than a decade missing Olive and was delighted to reunite with her. He loved the narrator in the audiobook so if I get nostalgic maybe I’ll listen to the first. If I love a book I listen to I often buy the hard copy.
Yeah Sarah: I listened to the audio of Olive Again and also read the hardback of it. I liked both. Sometimes like you I will do both — if I enjoy the story. I read the first one long ago — so I should reread that sometime. Just from what I recall I thought Olive was a bit softer in Book 2 — as she reflects a bit on her life — and I also enjoyed Jack & some humor regarding him — so I did not think Book 2 was disappointing. But perhaps Book 1 was so awesome that it could feel that way. I’m glad you are an Olive fan as well — especially since you live in Maine & have a closer perspective of all things Olive.