An American Wife - and - Triptych

An American Wife

Curtis Sittenfeld

http://www.curtissittenfeld.com/about-american-wife.html

This was the book I chose to be the ‘book I wouldn’t normally read’ this summer. I tend to do at least one, because I usually just read airport novels (those which while away the time without taxing your brain too much). And, I enjoyed reading it.

It really is three (fictional) installments of the life of an American President’s wife. It is supposed to be something of a tribute to Laura Bush and all the time I was reading it I couldn’t get my mind off ‘Charlie’ being ‘Dubbya’.

The first part tells of Alice’s early life in Wisconsin, which is known for it’s farms and farming. Her father is a small town bank manager and her mother is a tied to the kitchen sink (willingly) housewife. Her grandmother however, is something of a character. Alice has a normal life goes to college and all that stuff. The second part of the book relates to her meeting Charlie, of their courtship, their early marriage and almost divorce. Finally, aspects of both these parts of Alice’s life come back to haunt them both at a critical time in Charlie’s Presidentship. It is a good read and there are some charming reminders of everyday married life and love.

Triptych

Karin Slaughter

Of all the books I’ve read this summer, I think that this is the one I enjoyed the most. This excludes An American Wife, which was a different kind of book. Triptych is one of the read-it: bin-it books you take on holiday (like Connelly, Grisham etc.) It’s possibly part of a series and hopefully – the first one. But it rattled on and surprised me from time to time. Set in Atlanta it goes on the tell of murder and mayhem in a way that I found interesting.

Involves rape and children so maybe not to everyone's taste - but the baddy gets it in the end. Which is as it should be.