The Drought is Over!

Several weeks ago, I wrote a post about the difficulty I termed "reader's block."  I am happy to report that I was able to find time to return to reading and am once again enjoying the world of fiction.  What book marked my re-entry into reading?  American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld.

Sittenfeld makes it clear that his novel is loosely based on the life of First Lady Laura Bush.  Beginning with her childhood, Alice, Sittenfeld's fictional representation of Bush, is seen as a demure girl in a middle-class family.  Tragedy strikes and Alice's world begins to topple.  In the midst of her uncertainty, Alice meets Charlie Blackwell, the son of a wealthy former governor.

American Wife traces Alice's response to her husband's bid for the Governor's Office as well as the Presidency, but these story lines pale in comparison to the examinations of Alice's feelings at the death of her grandmother, her search for acceptance from her in-laws, and her attempts to save her marriage from ruin due to her husband's alcoholism.  Filled with humor, wit, and intelligent writing, Sittenfeld's novel is a charming read for all Americans -- regardless of your political leanings.  The novel does slow a bit in the final segment as political issues relevant to the Bush administration are addressed; by this point in the novel, however, the reader has become invested in Alice's story and plows through the rhetoric.  A worthy read!  My rating:  4 out of 5 stars.