Welcome to Litsy!

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Today the legendary 😉 #NYRBBookClub, led by @vivastory , came to an end. For more than three years we have read and discussed an #NYRB classic each month. I have discovered many fantastic books and our discussions have been a monthly highlight on Litsy.

This is a shout-out to Scott, thank you so much for making this happen. I gladly share my top 5 of highly recommended books.

quietjenn, GatheringBooks, sprainedbrain, catebutler, daena, LeahBergen, Leftcoastzen, emilyhaldi, youneverarrived, DrexEdit, mklong, Sapphire, Vansa, readordierachel, merelybookish, batsy, Billypar, Liz_M, arubabookwoman, sarahbarnes

Leftcoastzen Great choices ! Such a fine run ! Kudos to all but especially @vivastory our consistent host . 2y

vivastory Excellent selections, friend! Thanks for your kind words, the insightful comments during our monthly discussions & the support! 2y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen Thanks, Linda! 2y

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quietjenn Looking forward to finally getting to some of these - hopefully soon! 2y

batsy Great selection! All of this are on my list, which I would not be able to narrow down to an acceptable number 😆 Thank you @vivastory and everyone who joined in for making this such a fantastic experience! 💜 2y

Liz_M Fabulous choices. How could I forget Cassandra? 2y

BarbaraBB @Liz_M Cassandra really stood out for me, maybe partly because it was our first book 2y

LeahBergen It was so hard to pick my favourites! 2y

youneverarrived Cassandra would be in mine too 🧡 2y

sarahbarnes Such great choices, some of which are on my TBR due to this book club before I joined. And a huge kudos to @vivastory for hosting such an incredible book club! 🎉 2y

Megabooks Screenshot 📸 2y

sisilia Awww… today I‘m checking out the club hashtag after being MIA for a while. I enjoyed the discussion, too.. and I‘m happy to find fellow NYRB Classics lovers here 2y

BarbaraBB @sisilia It‘s good to see you here again. I hope your NYRB book club is still going strong! 2y

sisilia @BarbaraBB Yes, we still meet every month. Some hits and misses, but that‘s the thing with exploring literary works 2y

Suet624 These were my favorites as well. 💕 2y

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Ruthiella

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

pick

Not a great photo but the cover palette reminded me of the bird of paradise. My first completed book for #FabulousFebruary . This was an excellent psychological portrait of an unhappy young woman. When her twin becomes engaged, this separation is a real blow to Cassandra and her sense of self. Published in 1962, it has a timeless quality to it. Only 226 pages, but it packs a lot in and I had to read slowly and carefully.

Andrew65

sarahbarnes I‘ve had this one on my list for awhile! 3y

Andrew65 Great 👏👏👏 3y

Ruthiella @sarahbarnes Me too! I‘m glad I finally picked it up. 3y

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BarbaraBB I loved this one so much!! 3y

Ruthiella @BarbaraBB It seems to be a real favorite among my Litsy friends! 3y

BarbaraBB It was the first book we read with the #NYRBBookClub, among which members are probably a lot of your Litsy friends! 3y

Ruthiella @BarbaraBB That‘s probably why! 😅 3y

Ruthiella I‘m using this book for the prompt “About Sisters” for #Booked2022 @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage (edited) 3y

Cinfhen Nice pick 💜 3y

Ruthiella @Cinfhen Thanks! 3y

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Deblovestoread

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

#BookSpinBingo. #February

So excited that #Bookspin is NYRB-TBR as I‘ve been wanting to read the tagged book for awhile now.

TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! Looks great!!! 3y

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Deblovestoread

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Well, this happened….🤷🏻‍♀️. I just couldn‘t resist 40% off and I had my wish list ready to go. The Provensen is a gift for my daughter but I can‘t wait to check it out.

Thought I‘d share just in case anyone else might be interested.

JamieArc Oh man. I could be in trouble. There are a few on my list I‘ve wanted for a while. 3y

Crazeedi Soooo tempting! But I have to concentrate on the b ooks I have!! 3y

BarbaraBB Cassandra is one of my favorite NYRB books. Maybe even THE favorite! I hope you‘ll love it too! 3y

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batsy

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

For my #nyrbbookclub buddies (great inaugural pick hosted by @BarbaraBB @vivastory ) and fellow Cassandra aficionados! I'm not much of a podcast person but Backlisted is one of the few I keep turning to. I'm looking forward to this episode.

vivastory This is wonderful. I love Backlisted! They also have an episode about our current selection Vet's Daughter“. It was so wonderful that I immediately ordered after listening:
https://www.backlisted.fm/episodes/14-barbara-comyns-the-vets-daughter 3y

batsy @vivastory Yes! That's the one that made me feel I have to read all of the Comyns! 3y

Cathythoughts Thanks Suba !! I‘ll try & listen , I loved this book. ❤️ 3y

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LeahBergen Yes! I saw this on Twitter today! 👏🏻👏🏻 3y

BarbaraBB Oh that is interesting, I will listen to that episode. Thanks for bringing it up Suba! 3y

CarolynM I'm not big on podcasts either, but every now and then something catches my attention. This sounds very interesting. Thanks for the heads up 😘 3y

batsy @Cathythoughts @BarbaraBB @CarolynM My pleasure 💜 3y

batsy @LeahBergen They always hit it out of the park with their choice of books 🙌🏾 3y

Suet624 Such a great book. 3y

batsy @Suet624 When I'm brave enough I'll attempt to read it again. 3y

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Hooked_on_books

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

pick

Cassandra is heading to the family home for her twin Judith‘s wedding, and it‘s immediately clear something is amiss. Her reluctance is present in her combativeness with her family and herself. To me, this reads as a portrait of mental illness, perhaps made more difficult by a key piece of Cassandra‘s identity that we find out later (or immediately in the blurb—why do they do that?). I enjoyed it.

BarbaraBB My favorite #NYRB book! 3y

vivastory Def one of my fave #NYRB books. Our inaugural book for the group 3y

LeahBergen Fond #NYRBBookClub memories for me, too! @vivastory @BarbaraBB 3y

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vivastory @LeahBergen @BarbaraBB I really need to read another one by Barker. I've had my eye on

Young Man with a Horn

BarbaraBB I‘ve read that one soon afterwards @vivastory and it‘s completely different but good too. 3y

Cathythoughts I really enjoyed this one too 👍🏻❤️ 3y

batsy A brilliant book and what a start to the #nyrbbookclub! I feel the urge to reread it again soon. 3y

Leftcoastzen I loved this book! Fond memories shared by our #NYRBBookclub 3y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB @vivastory @batsy my heart skips a beat every time I see that someone has just finished reading this book. I loved this one so much. 3y

vivastory @Suet624 It really is special. Feel free to join the monthly NYRB discussion if you see that we are reading a book that interests you! I always enjoyed your input. 3y

BarbaraBB @Suet624 Still my favorite! 3y

Suet624 @vivastory thank you, Scott. That‘s very kind of you to say. 3y

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batsy

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Faves of 2019 #adventrecommends Dec 10

Biting wit, black comedy, and a smart, neurotic, selfish, heartbreaking protagonist that I won't forget. This was our first pick for #NYRBbookclub this year and is an absolute gem of a novel that yields much pleasure and heartache.

@emilyrose_x

Suet624 It was so good. I can‘t tell you how many people I talked about this book with. 5y

Cathythoughts This was sooo good. Memorable! I loved it 5y

LeahBergen One of my faves, too. 😃 5y

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BarbaraBB I keep thinking of and talking about Cassandra since we read her. 💜 5y

Theaelizabet Mine, too. I recommended it to a friend who loved how the writing still seemed so fresh. 5y

batsy @Suet624 @Cathythoughts @LeahBergen @BarbaraBB @Theaelizabet Love that you all feel the same ❤️ 5y

CarolynM I loved this one too.❤️ 5y

batsy @CarolynM It's a special one, isn't it 🙂 5y

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Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

#NamasteNovember Thanks to the wonderful and generous @BarbaraBB I knew I owned at least one book with an #orangeCover 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

Eggs

BarbaraBB And it‘s one of a kind 🧡 5y

Cathythoughts Great book 👍 5y

Eggs Lovely photo 😊 5y

Reviewsbylola Gorgeous edition. 😍 5y

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Samplergal

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Finished this yesterday. #24b4Monday #DeweysReadathon 4 ⭐️

Leftcoastzen Hope you liked it .I did. 5y

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GatheringBooks

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

pick

#AyUpAugust Day 8: #DontMarryHer reminded me of tagged book for #NYRBBookClub. My perception of Cassandra was coloured by the fact that the twins come from a very affluent family; hence, I found Cassandra‘s concerns initially as shallow and needless. Definitely not urgent enough to put a stop to Judith‘s wedding. Yet Cassandra is compelling, unapologetic, whimsical, and courageous in her own way. My full review: https://wp.me/pDlzr-kpZ

Cinfhen, squirrelbrain

BarbaraBB Yay! 5y

Cinfhen I‘ll get to this book one day, thanks to my lovely friend who gifted me a copy @BarbaraBB 😘 5y

squirrelbrain I‘m intrigued by this one too @Cinfhen .... 5y

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BarbaraBB @Cinfhen You already read it didn‘t you? I remember you didn‘t like it that much! 5y

Cinfhen I thought I started it but didn‘t finish @BarbaraBB but now I can‘t remember 😬You might be right!!!! 🤪I do remember starting it and thinking Cassandra was SUPER ANNOYING and overly pretentious 5y

GatheringBooks @Cinfhen i felt exactly the same way in the beginning, and was impatient with it! until something happened somewhere in the middle of the story that suggested something else was at play! do glance at my review, i mentioned it peripherally. 🧚🏼‍♀️📚💕 5y

Cinfhen Thanks, Myra! I‘ll have to try again with a better attitude. 5y

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TrishB

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

so-so

Ok, I didn‘t hate it but am having a hard time understanding all the 5 star love 🤷‍♀️
If I‘d have just read without seeing everyone‘s comments I would have literally thought it was ok and moved on. I didn‘t feel any humour (more pity really), and I mostly just felt really sorry for Cassandra.
Thanks for chance to read Helen- can‘t wait to see what you think when you get to it.
Cindy - we will have a successful buddy read 😘

Cinfhen, squirrelbrain

LeeRHarry I felt the same , it didn‘t wow me either. 5y

Cinfhen One can hope, Trish 😂♥️ 5y

squirrelbrain Gosh you read that quick! 5y

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Cathythoughts You did read that pretty fast. I‘d say it‘s a marmite 🤷🏻‍♀️I did love it. 5y

TrishB @squirrelbrain @Cathythoughts it‘s only a little book and I‘ve had a very lazy Saturday!! 5y

Cathythoughts Oh Trish ! It takes me a few days to read a little book 😳😂😂 5y

TrishB @Cathythoughts 😘 no one ever wants to share reading papers with me in work!! 5y

LeahBergen I‘m with @Cathythoughts here 😄 (and you‘re right; I think it might be a Marmite book). 5y

TrishB @LeahBergen I do love the differing opinions though 😁 5y

CarolynM I was in the love it camp with this one - I think often it's just about what touches a nerve with you, for good or ill. 5y

TrishB @CarolynM very true- the books I pick as my best books have usually really touched me emotionally. 5y

Izai.Amorim I agree with you 100%. I didn't find it funny, rather depressing. 5y

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merelybookish

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Two novels from the New York Review of Books about women #notreadytomakenice.

#lilithjuly @Cinfhen @KarenUK

KarenUK I loved Cassandra.... so good! 💕 5y

Liz_M 😂 😁 😁 5y

Cinfhen Well played 💪🏼❤️ 5y

LeahBergen 😆😆 Yep! 5y

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Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

#UnpopularOpinion I‘m not enjoying Cassandra & Judith 🙈They are SO PRETENTIOUS 🙄I‘m just exhausted by their oh so witty banter. Maybe I‘m just hot and irritable today. Anyway, my first #NYRB is going into hibernation & I will try again at another date. Sorry I didn‘t feel the love like the rest of you. Hope you fair better @TrishB

sisilia, Cathythoughts, BarbaraBB

BarbaraBB Oh that‘s a pity, I thought you‘d love it. Maybe another day... or not 😘😉 5y

Cathythoughts Oh no ! Sure that‘s the beauty of the books & the different opinions. Only #hibernation ? It‘s not a write off so 5y

TrishB Just thinking about my review.... 5y

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Cinfhen I think expectations were too high and I probably wasn‘t in the right mood @BarbaraBB @Cathythoughts I will try again 🤞🏼 5y

Cinfhen It‘s still my FIRST #NYRB so I‘m excited just to own it @BarbaraBB 😘😘😘 5y

CarolynM I agree they're pretentious, Cassandra particularly, but I found them sympathetic as well. Life would be very dull if we all liked the same things. 5y

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TrishB

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Next up for a buddy read with Cindy 😁
I had a successful buddy read last weekend, so fingers crossed 🤞🏻 because I‘ve not got a good track record!

LeahBergen I hope you like this one! 5y

squirrelbrain You might be on a roll...! 🤞I was going to get this with my voucher last week but didn‘t in the end. I await your verdict! 😁 5y

saresmoore Ooh, hope you both enjoy! 5y

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Cinfhen I‘m starting today 🤞🏼🤞🏼 5y

Cathythoughts Very I interested to hear what ye think of it @Cinfhen 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 5y

erzascarletbookgasm This has so much Litsy love, hope you and @Cinfhen enjoy! 5y

Cinfhen I‘ve read 2 chapters @Cathythoughts and im NOT liking it at all 😬 🙈 5y

Cathythoughts @Cinfhen I listened on Audible... great narrator, brought it alive for me 5y

TrishB @LeahBergen @sprainedbrain @saresmoore @Cinfhen @Cathythoughts @erzascarletbookgasm didn‘t get much at all read last night so hoping to today. (edited) 5y

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Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

My Friday reading plan...finish East of Eden and start Cassandra at the Wedding. But first off to see a matinee of Yesterday. Has anyone seen the film?!?!? Thoughts?!? What ya‘ll reading this Friday?? For many US Littens it‘s still a holiday weekend ❤️⭐️💥🍺🍔🌭💙 so sending out good time vibes 🎵❣️Happy Friday, Friends 👭

sisilia Happy weekend, my dearest @Cinfhen Have fun with Cassandra 😁 5y

writerlibrarian It's on my list on things to do this week-end to see Yesterday. 😁 5y

Cathythoughts Look forward to your thoughts on Cassandra 👍🏻 5y

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Cathythoughts I‘m also wondering about Yesterday ... it‘s on here too 🤔 5y

Freespirit I'm reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and loving it😍 5y

Zelma I just saw the movie yesterday afternoon. (no matter how phrase that, it sounds odd.) my friend loved it; I thought it was ok. (edited) 5y

LauraBeth I saw Yesterday and LOVED it! I took Emma and she loved it as well. I loved that the audience in the theater was multi-generational. 5y

Cinfhen I thought it was a really fun movie @LauraBeth @Zelma @Cathythoughts @writerlibrarian Just a total feel good vibe and obviously the music was brilliant 🙌🏻🎵and I LOVED all the Liverpool scenes @TrishB I‘m DEFINITELY coming over the pond for a visit❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️ 5y

Cinfhen I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for the first time this year...it was such a moving book & it felt timeless in a sense @Freespirit Enjoy 😊 5y

TrishB I can‘t wait for you to come 😁😁 5y

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Kalalalatja

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

pick

I chuckled, I gasped, I smiled, and I sighed. Cassandra definitely is a character, and one I won‘t forget anytime soon.

The hype is justified 🙌

Theaelizabet Glad you enjoyed it! 🙌 6y

BarbaraBB Me too 💜 6y

batsy Love this book ❤️ 6y

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Kalalalatja

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

I finished part 3 in #EoE earlier while reading outside, and now I‘m spending my evening getting to know Cassandra. So far, I get the hype!

@MicheleinPhilly your candy pic started a massive craving in me which I have been waiting to satisfy, and tonight I finally got the chance 🙌

#currentlyreading

MicheleinPhilly 🙌🏼 I have been savoring every delicious piece. As I ration my daily intake, of course. Enjoy both! 6y

vivastory I hope you love this as much as the group did! 6y

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AnneCecilie

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

pick

This was quite the read. And I must confess that I‘m glad I don‘t have a sister like Cassandra. We meet twins Cassandra and Judith (Jude). Judith is getting married and Cassandra arrives home a day earlier than planned for the wedding. Cassandra‘s reaction when there is anything but a good one.

I‘m glad the #NYRBBookClub convinced me the read this novel @vivastory and @BarbaraBB

vivastory Wonderful review! I'm glad you're a fan! 6y

BarbaraBB So happy you liked it too! 💕 6y

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Kalalalatja

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Today was a good #newbooks day! After shopping used books, I got home to this pretty little thing waiting for me. Hope I‘ll be able to start it this weekend 🤞

#bookmail

BarbaraBB Excited for you to read it! 6y

Kalalalatja @BarbaraBB I‘m so excited, too! 6y

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Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Woohoo💕🎉💕🎉 My first #NYRB book 🥰Thank you so much @BarbaraBB for this AWESOME pre birthday package ♥️🥳😘 I‘m so humbled by your generosity🙏🏻I consider myself blessed with so many new friendships that truly brighten my days (and feel my mailbox) #LuckyLitten 💚☘️#HappyDance 💃💃

Cinfhen Hehe @sisilia I think @BarbaraBB might have created an NYRB monster now 😜 6y

sisilia Hahaha good luck @cinfhen We can be in NYRB Anonymous together 😆 Oh, enjoy Cassandra. It‘s gooooodddd 6y

erzascarletbookgasm Yay! for your first #nyrb book! Lovely gifts. 💕 6y

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Cinfhen Thanks @erzascarletbookgasm 💜💜💜💜I admit, I inhaled the book @sisilia but I didn‘t catch the scent 😜😂 6y

sisilia Oh no @Cinfhen Maybe it‘s just me 🤪 6y

Nute Your enthusiasm is contagious and making me so happy this morning!💕 6y

Cinfhen Awwwww!!! Thanks @Nute 😃that‘s a lovely comment that makes me happy in return 😘 6y

robinb @BarbaraBB is the best isn‘t she?!! 💕So sweet! 6y

Kalalalatja I just ordered Cassandra, and can‘t wait to read it after all the praise from the #NYRB bookclub gang 🙌 and @BarbaraBB is a gem 💕 6y

BarbaraBB I am so happy you received them in time. I really think you must read Cassandra! Sending you your first NYRB is the least I could do after receiving my first BOTM(s) from you 💕. Have a happy early birthday ❤️🎈 6y

BarbaraBB @robinb @Kalalalatja Thank you, you both know that goes for you too! It‘s nice to send mail to amazing Littens sometimes! And Katja, I am sooo looking forward to what you‘ll think of Cassandra! 😘 6y

robinb @BarbaraBB 😘🤗💕 6y

LeahBergen Lovely!! 💕💕 6y

Cinfhen I love this gift @BarbaraBB all 3 books look great!!! I feel very lucky and spoilt @LeahBergen @robinb @Kalalalatja ❣️❣️❣️❣️ 6y

Kalalalatja @BarbaraBB I just hope I‘ll be able to get to it soon after I receive it 🤞 I‘m so excited! 6y

TrishB I got Cassandra in the recent secret Santa! Looking forward to it. 6y

Cinfhen We can add it to our “maybe we should buddy-read” pile @TrishB 😂😂 6y

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AnneCecilie

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Next up.

This was gonna be my next read when I had it borrowed out from the library. before I don‘t see any reason to change that just because I bought it.

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Suet624

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

While we were reading this book for the NYRB Bookclub, I kept chirping away about my twins, about how close they were, and about the imminent marriage of one of them. I wondered what it would be like if either had been like Cassandra and how fortunate we all were that they were so independent and overjoyed by the joy of the other. Because I'm still basking in the glow of the wedding, I thought I'd share this photo of Max and Louie.

Melissa_J They are handsome young men 😊 6y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @vivastory @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @Rachel_nyc @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Theaelizabet (edited) 6y

britt_brooke So handsome! 6y

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mklong So glad you shared this! You should be so proud. 6y

sisilia 😍 Gorgeous! 6y

Suet624 @mklong Thank you. I'm not as much proud as just completely in love with both of them. :) 6y

sprainedbrain Love this!!! 6y

GatheringBooks awesome photo! very good-looking young men. 6y

kspenmoll Such handsome young men & so lucky to have each other & the live between them!!! 6y

batsy What a beautiful picture! 💕 6y

merelybookish So handsome! And it looks like it was a lovely day for a wedding 6y

Reviewsbylola Very handsome boys! 🥰 6y

Leftcoastzen So handsome! It must be incredible raising twins. 6y

Mariposa_Bookworm They are so handsome! Sons are so special. 6y

MicheleinPhilly Such a lovely photo! ❤️ 6y

Christine Beautiful photo! 6y

robinb Such a happy picture! You are blessed, and they are as well to call you “Mom”. Congratulations to all! 🎉🎉🎉 6y

Texreader You should be proud of these boys!! 6y

BarbaraBB Thank you for sharing this picture. They look lovely and I can imagine how proud you are of them. You did a good job 😉😍😘 6y

Cathythoughts Gorgeous pic ♥️ 6y

Hooked_on_books Goodness, they‘re so handsome! 6y

LeahBergen OMG. What gorgeous boys! 6y

Rachel_nyc Very handsome and obviously handsome gentlemen! Glad neither of them is a “Cassandra”! 🤣 6y

saresmoore They look great, Sue! 😍🥰 I‘m so happy for you and excited for the new chapter that‘s just begun! 6y

emilyhaldi So handsome!!!! 💙 6y

youneverarrived Very handsome! Gorgeous photo ♥️ 6y

Theaelizabet What a terrific and happy photo! 💕 6y

readordierachel 💕💕 6y

ValerieAndBooks Great picture 💕! 6y

RohitSawant Wonderful picture! 6y

Cinfhen They are adorable!!!! Congrats 6y

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youneverarrived

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Cassandra at the Wedding was a five star read and the others, besides Breakfast at Tiffany‘s, were four stars. #maywrapup

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Nice job! 💖📚💖 6y

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Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

#MayStats #MayWrapUp

Another good month with 15 books read. Cassandra will turn out to be an all-time favorite I think and makes my second 5 star read of the year.

The other books pictured here were my 4 star reads this month.

Theaelizabet Agree with you about Cassandra. I place it in my mental “must reread” pile. 6y

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Nice job. I read Mudbound this month too. 😊📚💖 6y

mrozzz Wow!! Very high praise for Cassandra! 6y

BarbaraBB @mrozzz You should read it. It‘s fantastic 💜 6y

mrozzz I‘ll keep an eye out for it! 6y

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mklong

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

pick

Cassandra is maddeningly selfish and childish, but I loved her dearly and never wanted her to stop talking! I was traveling last week and wasn‘t able to take part in the #NYRBBookClub discussion, but I enjoyed reading with you all the same. I have no travel scheduled next month, so I can‘t wait to discuss After Claude with you all.

Thanks to @vivastory and @barbarabb for hosting!

vivastory I'm glad you loved it. I hope you enjoyed your travels. Looking forward to the June selection! 6y

LeahBergen Wasn‘t it good? 👏🏻👏🏻 6y

Leftcoastzen Glad you liked it! 6y

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BarbaraBB Cassandra is an unforgettable character and was a good one to kick off our bookclub with! 6y

ClairesReads This book club sounds interesting 6y

mklong @ClairesReads @vivastory started this for all us NYRB Classics fans! Let him know if you want to join in, or just follow the hashtag and dip in whenever. 6y

Theaelizabet Look forward to to “seeing” you at the next one! 6y

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sprainedbrain

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

pick

I was late finishing, but I really enjoyed this intelligent, effortless little novel. It starts out light, funny, and slightly manic and gets dark very quickly. I found Cassandra to be brilliant and self-absorbed, but still a very sympathetic character.

Great pick, Barbara!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#NYRBBookClub

BarbaraBB I had no idea it would be so good. But I‘m happy we kicked off with such a good book! 6y

Samplergal It was wonderful. 6y

Theaelizabet Yes, this was a great way to begin. I‘ll likely reread this one. 6y

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Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Question 5 of 5. #NYRBBookClub

BarbaraBB I was so afraid she would seduce Judith‘s fiance! 6y

Theaelizabet Earlier in the story, after Judith questions whether they were special, Cassandra thinks, “It was my instinct, when I heard her, to stop trying to hold myself together, just let go and fly apart. But I remembered just in time that I could not afford to--not if I didn't want to around being half of what I should be the rest of my life. Nine months was enough for me.“ Of course, she goes on to overdose, but I think it's the beginning. 6y

Cathythoughts She goes to such an extreme protest ... does she gain some insight in this way ? Does she have a bit of an epiphany.... (edited) 6y

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merelybookish Does she accept the marriage before or after the suicide attempt? I felt like it was almost before. And accepting it meant she couldn't go on living. @BarbaraBB I had that same fear when he was alone with her for so long, caring for her, and no one seemed to bother to put any clothes on her. 😯 6y

Leftcoastzen She could just have an ah ha moment.That she can‘t stop life from moving on.I can also see her drinking too much like her dad,or maybe she should take a shot at being a novelist even though her mom was. 6y

Leftcoastzen @BarbaraBB I was afraid of the seduction play as well. 6y

Aimeesue "Same thing everywhere I've ever looked. Large amounts of safety, very few risks. Let nothing endanger the proper marriage, the fashionable career, the non-irritating thesis that says nothing new and nothing true. That's how they do it. They go along. All but Papa, who prefers the skeptics and Five-star Hennessy. And me who what. Who nothing. Who less than nothing. Who tried, but didn't. So let's have the frilling wedding." (edited) 6y

Aimeesue She's accepted that she's different from Judith, who is like THEM, or believes she is. 6y

saresmoore @Aimeesue Yes, great quote. 6y

BarbaraBB @merelybookish oh wow, I didn‘t think of it that way - before the suicide attempt. That makes it extra sad. 6y

vivastory @Aimeesue I felt like that passage was really the key to her change of mind about the marriage. Such a heartbreaking realization of course"the real world" 6y

Leftcoastzen I love this book! The depth of the characters drew me in right away. 6y

vivastory *realization about the real world 6y

vivastory I did feel like after the wedding reception, when she returned home she also changed. There's the scene where she's window shopping & it felt like she was beginning to try to make her own life. I think she had accepted Judith's choice, but she definitely didn't approve. There was definitely bittersweet resignation. 6y

Aimeesue @vivastory I think it's only heartbreaking to Cassandra because she has to put Judith in the "everybody else" category. It's a neat psychological trick to be able to continue justify her belief in her "elite" status - like Papa and Jane, but not Mrs. Rowena Abbot and now Judith. 6y

vivastory @Aimeesue I completely agree. It's definitely a way for her to feel superior, but it was painful to witness. It's a bit like watching a teenager lose their illusions with the world. 6y

Theaelizabet I'm signing off for now, but want to thank @BarbaraBB and @vivastory for leading this! Well done! 6y

vivastory @Theaelizabet Thanks for joining us! Looking forward to next month's selection! 6y

Leftcoastzen What a great series of conversations! NYRB knows what it‘s doing keeping quality books in print. 6y

BarbaraBB @Theaelizabet Thank you for joining! To be continued in June, with

After Claude

batsy @merelybookish I agree; I think the acceptance could only come with the negation of her own self, hence the suicide attempt. There's something especially heartbreaking about the quote @Aimeesue posted because I think it was a way for Cassandra to have to realise that her own attempt to be Different, by crossing over to the other side, is an illusion. I wanted to read the ending as uplifting, but a part of me is still a little fearful for her 💔 6y

Leftcoastzen @batsy I fear for her too , she lives close to the Golden Gate Bridge. 6y

GatheringBooks @Aimeesue I echo @saresmoore here, thanks for sharing the quote - will most likely use this in my forthcoming review of this book. it is also interesting how marriages are perceived in the 60s as evidenced in C‘s eyes. 6y

GatheringBooks @batsy @merelybookish I also cant help but think that apart from the negation of one‘s self (teenagers now call this phenomenon being “cancelled” apparently), there is definitely no sign of self-abnegation on C‘s part. She consistently sets herself apart and superior from everyone else - this, and her suicide attempt/ psychiatric sessions makes me think she may suffer from Mood Affective Disorder (bipolar) which may be what their mother also has. 6y

GatheringBooks apologies - i cant switch off my clinical psychologist mode when reading; while the suicide attempt was skated over in a light-hearted-no-big-deal way - both by father & grandmother who seem to be in denial -this for me, signals a more troubling twist to C‘s character; that she isn‘t just being grandiose/theatrical, it is symptomatic of an actual psychological issue that needs to be acknowledged & addressed sensitively. this changed my view of C. 6y

Izai.Amorim @GatheringBooks Talking about clinical psychology, it seems that the whole family is troubled. Is there something like a “withdrawal from the world” syndrome? The father has it, alone on the ranch with the bottle, the girls were raised apart, no meaningful relationships to school mates, then go live together in this apartment... Could we call it “sentimental incest”? 6y

GatheringBooks @Izai.Amorim not really sure if it is psychologically troubled as much as a peculiar way of perceiving & responding to the world. i know a few wealthy individuals who are afflicted with this sense of smug superiority. but with C‘s family, there is also the vibe of intellectualism, the life of the mind as revealed in allusions and references, that it is rendered more real/superior than anything else. but i like the “sentimental incest” diagnosis!🤣 6y

youneverarrived @batsy interesting you say that about the ending. I read it as hopeful and imagined her finding her way on her own. @Cathythoughts I thought that too, that she had some sort of realisation. 6y

Cathythoughts @batsy @youneverarrived I read the end as hopeful too, but also that she wasn‘t out of the woods just yet ... but hopefully on her way 6y

batsy @Cathythoughts @youneverarrived Yes, exactly as you put it, Cathy. I wanted to read it as hopeful but a part of me is still wondering if she's completely out of the woods... I want her to be OK ❤️ 6y

youneverarrived Yes, well put @Cathythoughts @batsy 6y

saresmoore @GatheringBooks You bring up so many excellent observations! I have several friends & family with affective disorders, especially bipolar. I sort of just assumed that was Cassandra‘s affliction. So true about her family‘s (lack of) reaction! But it might just be what they had grown accustomed to, given the mother‘s similar behavior & mood swings. 🤔 6y

BarbaraBB I think so too @saresmoore but isn‘t it too sad you grow accustomed to situations like that? It‘s one of the reasons I sympathized with Cassandra. She needs help but her family ignores that while she is so loyal towards them. 6y

saresmoore @BarbaraBB It really is sad! Because of Cassie‘s dry wit, the unsentimental pithy quality of the writing, and the underlying tone of melancholy, I‘d consider labeling this a tragicomedy. Just a very subtle, nuanced one. 6y

GatheringBooks @saresmoore tragicomedy is the perfect way of describing it. deceptively light-hearted but with real terror underneath. one thing cass doesn‘t have though is self-loathing. evidently she thinks of herself too highly to totally abhor herself; even in death, she goes out in style the best way she thinks she will appear. :) this preoccupation with appearances may also be what might potentially compound her inability to fully express her sexuality. 6y

saresmoore @GatheringBooks Ooh, good point! 6y

Liz_M @Aimeesue That quote, indeed, is perfect. C doesn't have a change of heart about the wedding, but she does accept that she can't stop it from happening. She realizes that J is separate from her and it drives her to the pills, but even that won't alter the future. She thinks no one will understand the depth of her angst so she doeesn't want to leave. Her only choice is to once again hide behind wit and humor and try to make Granny & J happy. 6y

Aimeesue @batsy @gatheringbooks Im still terrified for her. A "cathartic" suicide attempt and she's all OK now? Nope. And the downplaying of it the whole time Dr. John is GIVING HER CPR. Good lord, the sixties were odd. I'm glad we recognise the seriousness of MH issues these days. (edited) 6y

Aimeesue If I had to put a name to it, Cassie seems to have more a case of borderline personality disorder than bipolar to me. The lying, substance abuse, unstable relationships, moodiness, terror at being alone/abandoned. Not that you can diagnose fictional characters, but she seems more swayed by her interactions with others than mood cycling. At any rate, she's not a healthy lady. 6y

GatheringBooks @Aimeesue it is always fun to diagnose fictional characters! i think the reason why i pursued clinical psychology was precisely because of my desire to diagnose interesting literary characters, and C def falls in that category. borderline also seems particularly apt. the bipolar aspect is drawn from her claims of feeling depressed mixed in with her grandiosity. and yes, my perception of her was altered significantly when viewed from this light. 6y

Aimeesue @GatheringBooks I once worked at a residential treatment home for adolescent girls. There were a couple with bipolar, and some with borderline PD. C reminds me much more of the girls w/BPD. Can't put my finger on why, exactly though. (edited) 6y

GatheringBooks @Aimeesue may be the neediness and the manipulative nature, perhaps? 6y

Aimeesue @GatheringBooks OMG, yes! The constant need for reassurance and enmeshment in someone else. So exhausting to have to play the funhouse mirror all the time. 6y

GatheringBooks @Aimeesue exactly!! so sorry for responding late. diff time zone. 😭🤣 glad that we have “diagnosed” somewhat our literary character‘s issues. 🤣🤣🤣📚💕 6y

Aimeesue @GatheringBooks It WAS fun! Get help, Cassandra! 😂😂😂 6y

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Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Question 4/5. #NYRBookClub

BarbaraBB For me definitely. Seen through Cassandra‘s eyes, Judith seemed a bit of a weak person, while after reading her pov, she became the stronger one. This was an example of a book in which a change of pov really makes the difference between a good and a great book. 6y

saresmoore I agree that it added a lot to the narrative. I don‘t think it changed my understanding of Cassandra, but it certainly revealed some layers of Judith‘s character. 6y

Aimeesue I thought it was a lot more revealing of Judith's character, but it does throw some light on Cassandra, given her not-entirely reliable narration and omission or glossing over of certain things. 6y

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Leftcoastzen I enjoyed the Judith POV it does fill in some blanks.I love the depth of all the family members characters,I love the timeless quality of the novel. 6y

BarbaraBB @Leftcoastzen Me too, very much! 6y

LeahBergen Judith‘s point of view made me feel more empathetic towards Cassandra, actually. Judith looked upon her twin with such, I dunno, sadness? 6y

merelybookish I agree that it helps us to understand Judith. I also think it helps give a fuller picture of Cassandra. In many ways, Judith reinforces what Cassandra has already revealed about herself. She also sees Cassandra's flaws and still loves her. I think we trust Judith which makes it easier for us to have complicated feelings about Cassandra. 6y

BarbaraBB @LeahBergen Suddenly Cassandra became someone to feel sorry for, exactly what she was fighting against. 6y

BarbaraBB @merelybookish Well said again. We did trust Judith and this way Baker forced us to make up our minds. So smart. So realistic. 6y

Cathythoughts It was important for me to hear Judith‘s voice .. she became real then. 6y

Cathythoughts And also Cassandra became more real as a result ... 6y

vivastory @merelybookish I couldn't have stated it better. I was unaware of the POV switch when we selected this one & I felt that it was much more than an interesting stylistic move. It would be a weaker book without it. 6y

vivastory @Cathythoughts Absolutely. It was interesting how Judith's perspective really added layers to both of them. 6y

Theaelizabet Actually, Judith's point of view didn't really influence my opinion of Cassandra (though it did put her in relief), but it did deepen the book for me, giving me a much fuller understanding of the family. @vivastory I agree that the the book would be weaker without it. (edited) 6y

MicheleinPhilly Absolutely. I think a big part of the reason why I was able to feel that empathy towards her that I alluded to was because I was able to take a break from her for a bit. It allowed me to breathe a bit more freely. 6y

BarbaraBB @MicheleinPhilly I felt that way too. Her pov brought some relativism if that‘s a word in English. 6y

batsy @LeahBergen @BarbaraBB I felt the same; I was rooting for Cassandra to triumph in life in her own prickly, messed-up way and Judith made me see her as someone who needs to be taken care of. And I felt even more protective of her, and sad. I agree with the others that the stylistic choice to switch the narrative to Judith's POV was unexpected, and necessary. 6y

GatheringBooks @batsy curious how we used the same phrase re ppl wanting to protect cassandra given her compelling nature! @BarbaraBB I also felt the J POV was what made me a smidgen more sympathetic towards C. I see C thru J‘s eyes, the latter being indulgent, gracious, and sensitive to C‘s feelings, making C even more callous & selfish, as she is accustomed to committing crime and getting away with it bec there is always someone to catch her when she falls. 6y

batsy @GatheringBooks Yes! And regardless of one's personal feelings about Cassandra, I feel it's a testament to Baker's superb skill in writing such a forceful character, to pull us inward into C's interior landscape, and then to draw outward and see her through J's eyes. 6y

GatheringBooks @batsy agreed. that switch in narrative voice was deftly executed, both C and J have their own unique and distinct voice that the reader truly feels immersed in two separate minds with their own set of volition, motivations, and altered ways of perceiving the world. 6y

youneverarrived It didn‘t change the way I saw Cassandra but it definitely added another layer to the story hearing from Judith. Although that‘s a really good point @BarbaraBB about Judith becoming the stronger person. 6y

sprainedbrain Judith‘s POV made me more sympathetic toward Cassandra, but also definitely showed Judith to be the stronger sister. 6y

emilyhaldi Judith‘s POV actually had a way of snapping me back to reality. I think I started to get caught up in the tumult of C‘s mind and thoughts and then suddenly J wrenches the reader out of that delusory worldview and brings us back to the truth. It certainly made me feel a deep sadness for C that I hadn‘t quite acknowledged before then. 6y

34 likes23 comments

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Question 3 of 5. #NYRBBookClub

saresmoore That‘s a great question. It was very subtle and if it hadn‘t been so clearly mentioned in the blurb, I don‘t know if I‘d have thought twice about it. Maybe subtlety was the author‘s intention? 6y

BarbaraBB @saresmoore I wouldn‘t have thought about it if it hadn‘t been mentioned in the blurb indeed. I did think about it though in relation to her therapist. 6y

Theaelizabet I assumed the obliqueness was due to the time it was published/written? So interesting because without that layer some things don't make as much sense. Several scenes had such a strong subtext. 6y

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Leftcoastzen Maybe part of it is when the novel was published lest it be labeled. 6y

Theaelizabet Interestingly, Baker had written a...play?, another novel? (I've now forgotten) that apparently dealt with homosexuality more forthrightly. I'll have to go back and find where I read that. (edited) 6y

BarbaraBB @Theaelizabet I think @vivastory mentioned that too when we were discussing these questions by mail. He will be able to give some more details! 6y

merelybookish Also assumed it was related to the 1962 publication date. But it does add to how I view her relationship with Judith. It's as though Cassandra never expects to find a partner with whom she could have the same intensity or closeness. Maybe because a loving long-term gay relationship seemed pretty elusive? 6y

BarbaraBB @merelybookish Great point. How do you feel about the sudden arrival of the therapist in this context? 6y

Theaelizabet @merelybookish Great point! 6y

merelybookish @BarbaraBB Well it struck me as highly unethical. 😉 I guess I thought that revealed more about the therapist than it did Cassandra. But I didn't think about it in terms of a sexual attraction when I was reading it. But I can see that might be in play. 6y

Cathythoughts I think Cassandra in ANY intimate relationship seems so impossible to her ( her sister / her twin / being her one & only ) (edited) 6y

Theaelizabet The arrival of the therapist threw me for a loop. I'd like to go back and focus on her in a reread. 6y

Samplergal I did assume that it might the time it was published. Less mentioned, it was more likely to be published, imho 6y

merelybookish @Theaelizabet Yes me too! I also think there is the dead mother hovering everything that might also be a factor in how the relationship between C and the therapist evolved. 6y

Rachel_nyc @BarbaraBB Same. That was a bit creepy and as someone else pointed out, unethical of her therapist if they indeed were in some sort of relationship. I was surprised it wasn‘t delved into further but like others, I assumed it was because of the time it was published and more may have been edited out for that reason? 6y

vivastory @Theaelizabet You're correct. Several years before publishing Cassandra, one of her plays that premiered on Broadway was protested for gay themes. 6y

MicheleinPhilly @merelybookish I was definitely getting “vibes” from the therapist and went back and forth about whether I thought there was something between them. 6y

vivastory @MicheleinPhilly @merelybookish I agree. When the therapist arrived I really began to wonder. 6y

Aimeesue There was nothing between Cassie and the therapist, at least sexually. There‘s that whole bit on page 201. “Why did you send me away? .…Why did you ditch me down the hall? How could you take such good care of me and then refuse to take care of me?” “I‘m overtrained. I know the rules.” Cassie is frustrated because Vera WON‘T sleep with her. Oddly enough, I just had an ethics training on dual relationships with clients on Friday. 6y

MicheleinPhilly @Aimeesue I don‘t think there was anything physical going on between them but I definitely sensed a certain level of intimacy that I think transcended the acceptable boundaries of the therapist/patient relationship. 6y

Aimeesue @MicheleinPhilly Could be. I can't imagine a therapist today chartering a plane and showing up at someone's parents' home. 6y

batsy I also found it very subtle, but as others point out there were some vibes when the therapist came over. Great point @merelybookish also about the mother figure. I would read a whole other novel about C and her therapist! 6y

BarbaraBB @Aimeesue That was the only aspext of the novel that I found unrealistic indeed. @MicheleinPhilly 6y

GatheringBooks @Aimeesue @MicheleinPhilly - good points raised re establishing client-therapist boundaries, and the unlikelihood of a therapist chartering a plane to see how her client is doing. truthfully, i did not find that twist credible, but placed there more as a comic/theatrical relief to complicate things even further - and to amplify just how compelling C‘s personality is that people are gravitationally pulled into her & want to take care of her. 6y

GatheringBooks @vivastory oooh! i like these back stories. the fact that it was written in the 60s also serves to surface those understated and unarticulated class issues - as they may not even be perceived as such, but rather seen as per normal. The lgbt aspect was also subtly and obliquely referenced, and I do wonder whether Cassandra would ever be compelled to “come out,” ever, especially given the family‘s (the grandma in particular)concern with appearances. 6y

Liz_M @merelybookish well said about her relationship with J. Perhaps C's sexuality is only referred to obliquely because C herself doesn't identify as gay? I can't remember anything specific in the text, but C wants so badly to be with J always, for J to be everything, that she doesn't really consider other relationships as serious or real. Like her mental issues and passing references to suicide, she only half-acknowledges it to herself. 6y

Suet624 I am so late in responding to these questions! To be honest, I'm still so overwhelmed by political rallies and my son's wedding in 2 weeks that I'm half-mad. But I agree with @liz_M and @Merelybookish. There is such an intense relationship between twins, such love and such irritation, that it can be difficult to see outside of the two of you. There is a completeness. She merely dallied to see if she could replicate their relationship. 6y

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Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Question 2 of 5. #NYRBBookClub

saresmoore That really stuck out to me. I think that‘s probably the case in any codependent relationship, but the satisfaction would be short-lived. 6y

BarbaraBB To me this characterized the novel, because I really couldn‘t understand it and I think Judith is right. I felt for Cassandra but she really was so mean towards Judith. 6y

Leftcoastzen I really felt she is if not going to pieces, at least stuck.She can‘t finish her paper. 6y

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Theaelizabet I think Judith is right and she explains why right after that quote, “If right now there were nothing for me, but blankness and despair...Cass would take over and get me me out of it, bring me back...“ Unfortunately for Cass, Judith no longer needs that from her. 6y

Cathythoughts I think Cassandra shows a desperation for connection & an inability to connect in a real way .. relying on drama , acting out , but ultimately remaining lost & alone in this way (edited) 6y

BarbaraBB @Theaelizabet That is well said. Cassandra wanted to safe Judith. In the end though Cassandra was the one in need of saving. (edited) 6y

Leftcoastzen @Theaelizabet Great point! 6y

BarbaraBB @Cathythoughts You‘re right I think, and I also think she was scared of being left alone since her mother had left her too. 6y

merelybookish yes to both @Cathythoughts and @Theaelizabet! Cassandra has defined herself so much by their relationship. If Judith changed who she was in that dynamic, it would force Cassandra to change too! 6y

Leftcoastzen People sometimes underestimate what a huge change this would be considering the way Cassandra saw her relationship with Judith.Someone who just knew the family would assume Judith is just making an expected life change , marriage a part of growing up for most. 6y

LeahBergen I gave this sentence a good “hard think” when I read it as I didn‘t (initially) believe it. I think it‘s probably true though that, for most people, taking action in a crisis immediately pulls you out of yourself. Right? 6y

Aimeesue @LeahBergen That's exactly my take. And having to take action is also a reason to not deal with the actual issues, whatever those may be. "Sorry, no time for that, I'm saving/helping/rescuing someone!" 6y

Cathythoughts @BarbaraBB yes, good point - her mother left too 6y

Rachel_nyc I absolutely think Judith is correct. Their relationship and how each deals with their codependent bond was so fascinating to me. I loved how we saw how each of them saw the other when looking at their own reflection. 6y

vivastory This passage really struck me as well. As has been said, I think that part of it is avoiding personal issues by focusing on other people's problems. I'm sure we all know someone like that. But I can't help but wonder if Cassandra doesn't also feel a greater sense of responsibility after their mother passed away. 6y

Theaelizabet @vivastory Ah, yes, the mother! That character and her impact are worthy of an entire discussion. So well written! 6y

saresmoore @Theaelizabet She handled the mother character so deftly. The father and grandmother and even the fiancé seemed to add to the depth of the reader‘s understanding of the ghostly mother. So intriguing. 6y

vivastory @saresmoore What a perfect phrasing of it-ghostly mother. Her death was definitely a shaping event & her absence was a permanent cloud over the characters. 6y

Izai.Amorim My impression was that both sisters could very well see the shortcomings of the other but not their own. What C said about J and vice-versa was always correct. J replaced C with a husband that will treat her as badly as C did. The guy hates music! She‘ll be a devoted wife like she was a devoted sister. Same role. I don‘t believe C accepted the wedding, rather washed her hands. C still needs some serious therapy. Hopefully with another shrink. 6y

BarbaraBB @Izai.Amorim Great analysis, I think you‘re right. 6y

sisilia @Izai.Amorim Good point! I was quite surprised that Judith is ok with a husband who hates music. 6y

CarolynM I think @Izai.Amorim has summed it up perfectly. 6y

saresmoore @Izai.Amorim Excellent & insightful synopsis! 6y

Aimeesue @Izai.Amorim I agree, except for the part about the husband "who will treat J badly." Granted, doctor's wives have to put up with a lot -the hours, the separations - but other than that? Did I miss something? 6y

batsy So many great points here, I'm just nodding along (a few hours too late ?) @Izai.Amorim I do think that Judith has accepted another similar role by choosing this person to marry; the only difference is she's no longer defined by being one-half of a twin. And I think that's important to her. I'm worried about Cassandra still, at the end. I think that the "acceptance" as you put it is not quite that. 6y

GatheringBooks similar to @batsy I am nodding along, a few hours late. While J may feel this way, I think C will find a way to make J‘s falling into pieces all about herself. As J noted, C is like a hurricane who is used to being the center of attention. C‘s self mockery is probly part of what draws people to her. I also think that J cares too much about C to give her the full responsibility of taking care of her - their twin dynamics precludes this to be so. 6y

GatheringBooks @Leftcoastzen i had to laugh at this. Cassandra at the wedding could be a good book for me to recommend to my MA and PhD supervisees who cannot finish their dissertation!! 😭🤣😂📚 6y

Izai.Amorim @Aimeesue Sorry, I didn‘t choose my words well. I mean she will have the same experience with him as she had with Cassandra because she will keep subjugating herself to the wishes of other person, like she did with C. If she didn‘t fight even for her music... I think the warning signs are all there. 6y

Izai.Amorim @batsy I agree that it‘s kind of an upgrade 😂 If she was brave enough to leave her sister, she might be brave to deal with this marriage in a way that it doesn‘t become another prison. I don‘t worry too much about her. Cassandra is the problem. She tried to kill herself! She needs help or she will try again. 6y

Liz_M @LeahBergen Maybe saving J from falling apart would not only bring C out of herself, but if the way to save J was to help her adjust to becoming a whole person, it would also force C to accept that she herself could be something other than half a twin. But then again, for C the saving would likely be re-establishing the tenuous stabilized dynamic from their childhood. (edited) 6y

sprainedbrain I do think Judith was right here... Cassandra is so self-absorbed that she is willing to attempt to stop the wedding just so she can have Judith back and all to herself. I think she would prefer Judith broken and sad, because then she would feel needed. 6y

Aimeesue @Izai.Amorim Interesting point. Baker didn't make him an accountant, right? He's in a profession that demands putting the job first a lot of the time. But as a person, I didn't get the sense that she'd have to fight with him over her music; he just doesn't *get* music. (Have to admit, I don't either, but I'm partly deaf, so…) That's not necessarily a deal breaker, depending on whether or not she wants music to be the focus of her life. Could ⬇️ 6y

Aimeesue …breed resentment later on, though. Hard to tell. I hope things work out for them. 6y

LeahBergen @Liz_M True! I think you‘re spot-on there about the becoming more than just half a twin. 👍🏻 6y

Suet624 @Izai.Amorim Holy cow. Yes. Exactly. And I loved the imagery of the mirroring that keeps being brought up in the book.
6y

32 likes35 comments

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

Welcome to our discussion, feel free to join. This is Question 1 of 5. #nyrbbookclub

Theaelizabet Well, for one thing, she's funny. I was just rereading the beginning of chapter three, the morning after she arrives, where she's waking up.
6y

saresmoore I think it‘s also her self-awareness. It‘s the same thing I find endearing about one of my favorite young musicians, billie eilish—she‘s petulant and judgmental, but it comes from a place of such pure awareness that it‘s endearing and even relatable. 6y

Leftcoastzen I agree , self awareness and humor .She was self absorbed enough I think ,to not consider the possibility that her sister might choose something different and move on with her life. 6y

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saresmoore @Leftcoastzen Great point! I think that self-absorption was an excellent (near) fatal flaw, too. I think maybe the real heroine of the story was Judith because she overcame her major weakness in being subservient to Cassie‘s narcissism. 6y

youneverarrived Definitely her humour. And I think on some level she‘s relatable. 6y

BarbaraBB To me it was the fact that she didn‘t hesitate to judge herself as she did others. For such a young woman she really knew how to get to anyone‘s weak spot in a matter of minutes (it seemed to me). I didn‘t like her as much as I admired her. 6y

BarbaraBB @saresmoore Indeed, Judith turned out to be te strong one 6y

saresmoore @BarbaraBB Yes! She said and thought things that I might, too, if I was brave or proud enough. 6y

Theaelizabet @BarbaraBB Right? She judged herself and got there before anyone else. Self-deprecation as a defense tool. 6y

merelybookish I also think she's interesting! Her views on everything including herself were rich, funny, insightful, etc. She's flawed and self-absorbed but in a very entertaining way. Plus, you could see the vulnerability that fueled her misguided decisions. 6y

Theaelizabet @merelybookish She is interesting! I'd love to go to dinner or have a drink with her! But maybe not be her sister or best friend. 😉 6y

BarbaraBB @merelybookish It was her vulnerability indeed that made her human too! 6y

Cathythoughts In her own way she speaks a lot of truth , she is humorous. I think I can be sympathetic towards her from a distance 6y

LeahBergen I‘m with you all here; she‘s funny, self-aware, self-absorbed, clever, and flawed but the root of all her actions is still a whole lot of love for her twin and her family. It makes her feel relatable. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 6y

Samplergal She‘s humorous in that self absorbed rather clueless way. 6y

Aimeesue She's funny, witty, and erudite. All good covers for character flaws and emotional issues, and all excellent for keeping people at bay by forcing them to deal with surface issues. 6y

Rachel_nyc I agree with much that has been said. Her humor, wit and self awareness make her both entertaining and relatable on some level. As much as I loved spending time with her though, she would probably be one of those toxic friends that you can only take in small doses IRL. 6y

vivastory I was drawn to her for the same reasons that's been stated: self-aware & self& absorbed, witty & not without flaws, but as @LeahBergen pointed out she was very loyal to her family. Despite attempting to thwart Judith's wedding. 6y

vivastory @Rachel_nyc Yes!! She's definitely a dinner once a month friend! 6y

MicheleinPhilly Echoing what everyone else has said about her humor and wit. But also it was WAY too easy for me to think back to my early 20s and relate to her to a certain degree. That all-consuming, possessiveness over someone whether it is a platonic or romantic relationship. I sort of laugh at myself now but at the time it was soul shaking to feel that way about someone. 6y

sisilia Hahaha @rachel_nyc @vivastory I agree with you. She is fun to be with, but annoying at times 🥴 6y

Rachel_nyc @vivastory Exactly! 6y

CarolynM I agree with everyone who has commented on how interesting and funny Cassandra is. I also felt I got enough information about her parents and her grandmother and the general family dynamic to understand how she had become who she was and why she felt the need to cling to Judith as she did. I felt quite sorry for her. 6y

GatheringBooks sorry for coming in late to the discussion, singapore time here. :) unpopular opinion: i did not like cassandra as much as most did. i found her haughty, convinced of her own superiority, privileged and spoiled. it was only during the latter part of the story when i glimpsed at a possible disorder that i warmed up to her and as @CarolynM noted, felt sorry for her, too, on her self-imposed isolation that may have been inevitable with her upbringing 6y

batsy I liked her for all the reasons mentioned above. She was also insufferable, and if I had to spend time with her, I'd probably be annoyed. But as a character, I loved her for her prickliness, for being so interesting and smart and funny, and because I could relate to quite a bit of her contempt/fear for what's required to be a Normal, Successful Person. To me she was relatable for being so ill-adjusted to the world. I'm always drawn to characters like that 6y

BarbaraBB @CarolynM Baker did a master job in explaining in so few words how their upbringing and the loss of their mother made Cassandra cling to Judith. 6y

Liz_M Opening the novel with Cassandra's thoughts about getting home slowly, by degrees, fortified with drink and her thoughts about the Golden Gate Bridge was a smart tactic -- in the first two pages we know that there will be family conflict, her mother is dead, and Cassandra is having suicidal thoughts. So we are shown both her black humor and her vulnerability immediately. I also loved the spontaneity of dunking her head in the water tower. 6y

sprainedbrain Late to the discussion (I just finished this morning)... I will echo what others have said about Cassandra being very self-absorbed and funny. I think the reason she‘s a sympathetic character for me is that I can remember being like that myself. I think I got past it by age 20, but I can remember being wrapped up in me and my issues and thinking everyone should revolve around me. 6y

emilyhaldi Sorry to have missed this discussion but these comments are still fun to read after the fact!! I can think of a couple college friends who were the BEST to invite along for a night out, always entertaining and down for the ride... similar to Cassandra. But as we mature and grow past that stage in our lives, those friendships don‘t always grow in the same way... and the humor of said friend not always quite as endearing as it once was 🙃 6y

Suet624 She's intensely sympathetic to me. I followed her with such compassion. I watched her as I watched my twin sons grow up. How is it possible to keep such a deep connection, such love and annoyance and empathy, with as they grow and turn to others for what you were once able to provide? It's a psychological minefield. She was hoping to have her sister all to herself, to be the most important person in her life, and that was not to be. 💝 💝 💝 6y

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Room Movie Tie-in Edition

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

In half an hour we‘ll post the five questions to fuel up the discussion about this first buddy read of the #NYRBBookClub. @vivastory and I hope you‘ll all join us!

KarenUK, GatheringBooks, sprainedbrain, sisilia, CarolynM, LeahBergen, Rachel_nyc, Leftcoastzen, LeeRHarry, Reviewsbylola, emilyhaldi, youneverarrived, MicheleinPhilly, mklong, Aimeesue, Suet624, merelybookish, Izai.Amorim, saresmoore, batsy, Cathythoughts, Liz_M, Samplergal, Theaelizabet

Theaelizabet @BarbaraBB Excellent! Thanks! 6y

Samplergal Excellent. 6y

Leftcoastzen Yay! 6y

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LeahBergen 👏🏻👏🏻 6y

vivastory Sorry I'm jumping in late. I had a minor family emergency this afternoon. 6y

Izai.Amorim Nobody home? 6y

BarbaraBB @Izai.Amorim Yes! See the other posts with hashtag #NYRBBookClub! 6y

BarbaraBB @vivastory Glad you‘re here. I hope all is well now! 6y

vivastory All is well, just a transportation issue. It's been a great discussion! 6y

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thebluestocking

Cassandra at the Wedding | Dorothy Baker

I‘m currently reading Cassandra at the Wedding and loving it. I‘m not sure I‘ll finish in time for the discussion tomorrow, but I‘m so glad I picked up this book.

What are you reading this lovely Friday?

#nyrbbookclub #blameitonlitsy #fridayreads

melissajayne

thebluestocking @melissajayne Cool! 👍 6y

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