Monday, July 16, 2007

Reading The Dollmaker by Harriette Arnow

I'm at page 137, where Gertie and the children are fixing up the Tipton Place house so they can move into it in a few days. Enoch has found an armload of ancient schoolbooks in the loft, and the children all think they're in heaven. Gertie has given Old John all her money, and he's supposed to go to town soon and register the deed for her. Clovis is safe away in Detroit, working in a factory, and presumably can't get to them to mess things up any time soon, but I almost can't stand to read on. I just know it's time for everything to come crashing down. Old John'll die and someone will steal the money and Gertie will lose the Tipton Place and have to follow Clovis to Detroit--

I've got books to pack and mail tomorrow, and checks to write and mail tomorrow, and refund checks from the IRS and the telephone company to cash tomorrow for spending-money.

4 comments:

Susan @ Blackberry Creek said...

I love that book. But it'll make you mad--and sad. But it's agood 'un.

Joanne Cage said...

I remember seeing the movie a long time ago and thought it was one of the best ever, but don't remember much about it now. I had never read the book before.

Susan @ Blackberry Creek said...

Maybe we should do this for Book Club some time. Or is it too long? I can't remember. I read it in about 1977 or so.

Joanne Cage said...

It's 599 pages (the paperback that I've got). Also, I'm afraid I would snarl through the discussion. Really, I know it's a masterpiece of American literature, but it makes me so mad!