A Year In The Country By Anna Quindlen Review

Rebecca Winter is sixty. Instead of enjoying the benefits of retirement, she is looking for something that can give her new orientation, a new grip on life. Their familiar surroundings for decades – the glamorous, vibrant, glamorous Manhattan – she had to leave behind. Your classy apartment there has leased it and moved to the country. Here you live a lot cheaper, but also has to be content that the house from the ground up to the roof is dilapidated that the village only the Tea Room Internet offers and that in the neighborhood do not cavort artists and intellectuals, but raccoons good night say.

All this takes Rebecca out in the hope of being able to save as much money in their exile that as soon as possible they can afford to return home to New York.

Your best years began when Rebecca in their thirties came. In 1982, the young photographer as the youngest winner ever was with the J.P. Bradley Prize.

The New York Times printed a report about it, but the prize money was in retrospect a lächerlicheSumme: thousand dollars. Soon thereafter, Rebecca success very different dimensions and raked in money properly.

With thirty-six is ​​Rebecca addition to their artistic activity and wife, housewife and mother of a toddler. For Peter, her husband, nothing special. The little bit of housework done for him as if by magic. He likes to bring unannounced guests to dinner and then runs to the well-earned rest back while Rebecca of confusion tackles in the kitchen.

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No wonder they become disillusioned with their family life, angry, desperate and exhausted. In a moment of deep frustration their great hour strikes. They photographed a section of the chaos that has left her after a dinner once in trust.

When she (as is also the original title of the novel), the picture titled “Still life with bread crumbs” in a exhibition presents, it verschlägt her breath almost what the critics and the media do with it. They see “a remotely Flemish-looking composition of used wine glasses, pile of plates, the broken remains of two baguettes and a kitchen towel, one corner of which was a little singed by the flame of the gas oven”. Above all, they recognize the deeper meaning.

The word ‘standstill “writes a theorist in her essay, expresses” how meaningless the existence of the average American housewife was “. The bread crumbs are a wonderful “alluding to Hansel and Gretel” – “to be a track to find, free and devoured not alive.” The bold interpretations of an increasing number of art critics and essayists fire lifts a hype around the “kitchen table series,” the Rebecca on the podium of a “feminist icon”, promoted to apologist of the American housewife. Me nothing you nothing emblazoned photo lucrative to “magazines, postcards, T-shirts, even as an ironic advertising for Mother’s Day” and is eventually marketed as a simple large-format posters.

The ruble. For years, the work of art throws off bonuses, which finance a fine lifestyle in Jet Set, extensive travel to Provence and Tuscany and Peter’s fondness for fine wines. Paradoxically felt Rebecca with the ever-growing success as instability in itself. Peters unacknowledged envy, his numerous infidelities and his barely braked emotions undermine the marital relations until finally let the two divorced.

Also the former fame faded. New icons take Rebecca’s Place, which models are changing ever more rapidly, their photos are no longer in demand, the property is melting away. At the same time she has to shoulder new spending. Son Ben has long since fledging, but can not find work and Mom is on the bag. Rebecca’s mother suffers from dementia and is supplied in a nursing home -. Still an expensive item, is financially responsible for Rebecca

In this period of upheaval presents Anna Quindlen her protagonist. But that can not be beaten up. It makes walking around the house, discovers new photo opportunities, a dog runs to her. Every day she visited the Tea Room for there to retrieve their mail. In Sarah, the chatty owner, she meets a loyal follower know who gives her her delicious homemade scones with admiration.

For “the Artist Formerly Known as Rebecca Winter” life is still far from over. Although she can not even get used to the simple country life, she finds but soon new people and new content. And of course, comes a new man into play. We learn it right to know in the first scene. Since a gunshot scares just newcomers middle of the night from sleep. Jim Bates, Roofers and hunters, has taken a raccoon on the roof of a bead … From these and many other encounters, from aging and perishable happiness Anna Quindlen told in her charming feel-good novel”