Welcome to Litsy!

After Claude | Iris Owens

QUESTION 4: Think about gender roles in the novel. What feminist concerns, if any, does the novel raise? Can it righly be considered a "feminist" novel?
#NYRBbookclub

mklong It's odd. For someone who certainly recognizes gender inequality, Harriet certainly leaves herself dependent on the men in her life. Even those who she barely knows. What she says often seems feminist, but her actions never bear it out. Even her attempt to “help“ Rhoda was to find her a man. 5y

emilyhaldi @mklong right?? There are so many juxtaposing ideas... Harriet loves to proclaim independence and yet is completely dependent on men and what they think of her. Shes like a parasite moving from one man to the next! 5y

Rachel_nyc This is a tricky question to answer. As someone pointed out in the last question, Harriet makes some good points about women hiding their intelligence and also about what women go through to make themselves look attractive compared to men. However, her insecurities and lack of self awareness cause her to say and think so many outlandish things that it makes it difficult (for me) to see her as a feminist. 5y

See All 20 Comments

Theaelizabet @mklong I agree with your take and I kept mulling the “feminist“ novel question while I read. At the end, after wanting to strangle/nurture Harriet, I decided that maybe the novel at least allowed Harriet to be completely exasperating, wrong-headed, pitiful and not nice without killing her off. She's just who she is and not really punished by anyone other than herself. Maybe that was “feminist“ for its day? (edited) 5y

Rachel_nyc @mklong Excellent point! When it was made clear how she “helped” Rhoda Regina, I was blown away! 5y

mklong @emilyhaldi Exactly! And she also doesn't support the women around her. She is forever talking about how heavy, and therefore unattractive, Rhoda is. Shouldn't she admire that Rhoda refuses to conform to the stereotypically feminine? But I guess that only speaks to her selfishness. 5y

Leftcoastzen @mklong @emilyhaldi agree ! I had to return my copy, did she ever mention a career or calling? 5y

Leftcoastzen It‘s weird, I had a real life encounter like this , coworker, young woman , feminist, didn‘t take shit from anyone but not offensive like Harriet.When her boyfriend came to work with us , she was a total doormat , waited on him,praised him and he was NOT the least bit praiseworthy. 5y

emilyhaldi @Leftcoastzen very interesting. I suppose the definition of feminist isn't entirely black and white... Can you still be a feminist if you also sometimes act subserviently towards men? 5y

Leftcoastzen @emilyhaldi It was so polar opposites in her case , I was stunned. 5y

merelybookish Harriet raises questions about feminism. She is critical of both her friends. The one who married the doctor and is a traditional wife and mother. Then there's Rhoda Regina who works to support herself and is an artist, and yet, according to Harriet still wants a man. Are those the only paths for women? Harriet is opting out of something. She doesn't work and she doesnt cook and clean. She's uses sex and feminine wiles which is radical in a way. 5y

merelybookish So I guess that's my long answer to say yes, I do consider it a feminist novel. 🙂 Because it is challenging readers to think about women's roles. 5y

Liz_M @merelybookish yes, Harriet is certainly NOT a well-behaved woman. But the message is conflicted, complicated because in some ways Harriet is trying (delusioally thinks she is) to play the woman's role -- to dress up nice and impress Clause and his male friends to be a hostess, etc. 5y

Theaelizabet @merelybookish “...challenging readers to think about women‘s roles”.... Well put. 5y

sisilia @merelybookish Nicely put! 5y

batsy Love your points @merelybookish I agree that it can be seen as a feminist novel for how it breaks open stereotypes about what women should be like. I feel the novel also really highlights the knotty subconscious of feminism & what straight women still struggle with, which is competition between themselves (for that elusive male attention & power 😞). This novel really highlights so many uncomfortable truths that can get lost in feminist rhetoric. 5y

Reviewsbylola I mean, Harriet‘s not afraid to stand her ground and voice her opinions, as wild as they may be. This is one of those novels that doesn‘t strike me as obviously feminist but now I can see it. 5y

merelybookish @batsy Harriet is a pretty radical character. 40+ years later and we are still discussing the possibility of creating unlikable female characters. Meanwhile Harriet is the most unapologetically unlikeable female character Ive ever encountered. And you're right, she does compete for male attention but not out of desire but because she wants security. She knows who has the power and competes to get it while offering as little as possible in return. 5y

GatheringBooks @merelybookish Love the way you have untangled the ‘feminist‘ knots of Harriet here, and how it can be perceived, contextualized, argued with, misunderstood, challenged. The narrative moved from Harriet‘s devil-may-care attitude to an obsequious need to belong, be affirmed, be a part of something - be it because of a need for security, validation, a search for hippie‘s ultimate search for truth and beauty is irrelevant. it just is. 5y

Aimeesue Harriet's back and forth with independence and belonging was intriguing. On the one hand, be yourself and ostracised and alone, on the other, allow yourself to be patronised, and you're tolerated. I think that's why the last cult-y section exists: that situation is very clear cut - either you're in or you're out, but in either case, you do it to yourself. 5y

37 likes20 comments

After Claude | Iris Owens

QUESTION 3: What about After Claude makes it so funny? Are we laughing along with Harriet, or do the things which strike us as funny not register with her as such? Do we feel bad when we find ourselves laughing? What was your favorite funny bit?
#NYRBbookclub

Cathythoughts I did laugh at times in the first half - more out of shock - & looking back, I do feel bad because it‘s more sad than anything else. Life isn‘t that much of a joke for Harriet as we find out in part two. Like Cassandra, Harriets voice is her protection / her weapon ... but Harriet is on another level of woundedness than our last read ( Cassandra) 5y

vivastory Harriet has no filter whatsoever. She has zero fs to give. But this also seems to be a front. She's brutally honest. Her & Claude's arguing over the air conditioner made me laugh. 5y

Theaelizabet As the book moved on I pitied Harriet so much that my laughter felt a bit hollow. For me the funniest bit was her reaction to the film, and good thing, too, because it put me in her corner early. 5y

See All 28 Comments

mklong Oh god, it has to be when she talks about her moisturizer! That made me snort out loud. 5y

emilyhaldi @mklong yes me too!!! Definitely my loudest LOL🤣🤣🤣 I still laugh when I think about it! 5y

mklong As horrible as many of her jokes are, through it all, she does make some salient points about how difficult it can be to be a woman who refuses to hide her intelligence to make the men around her more comfortable. 5y

Rachel_nyc @vivastory So true. I laughed a lot, especially after the film while they were in the cab but I did start feeling bad since it became clear how damaged Harriet really is. 5y

Theaelizabet @mklong Definitely! 5y

Leftcoastzen @Theaelizabet Yes !the film ! Anybody else think Claude is a bit patronizing and full of himself? I‘d be mouthing off like Harriet but I‘d want to leave😂 (edited) 5y

youneverarrived @Cathythoughts @Theaelizabet I agree. The first half had me in stitches but then the latter half was just sad and that changed how I saw Harriet. I was laughing along with her to start of with but then you start to realise how insecure she actually is. 5y

Leftcoastzen @mklong great point about women submerging their intelligence to placate men.When I was young , I wouldn‘t do it , I always felt men like that were not worth bothering with. 5y

vivastory @mklong @emilyhaldi There's Something About Mary moment 😂 5y

vivastory @youneverarrived I completely agree 5y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen Harriet's comments about how Claude fetishized the indigent. There was some biting commentary in this book. 5y

youneverarrived When she‘s hungover and says “I woke up feeling so bad that turning my head to read Claude‘s digital-clock radio remains one of my more memorable achievements”. 😂 lines like that that had me genuinely laughing. 5y

Liz_M For me this and question one go together. I didn't find Harriet funny and I think it had to do with first-person voice. I find humor when you see the absurdity between two points-of-view, so if there had been more displays of other people's reactions to her behavior it would have been funnier. But her abrasive, acerbic wit is too painful to be funny. 5y

vivastory @Liz_M I definitely found myself having to picture the other characters reactions to her comments 5y

youneverarrived @Liz_M interesting point. 5y

Liz_M @vivastory I think I would like this story more as a movie! 5y

Leftcoastzen @Liz_M funny you should say movie , I was seeing it in my head ! Visualizing other characters expressions! 5y

merelybookish @Theaelizabet Agreed! I laughed at her film comments.and just how relentless she was. I also laughed, mostly in shock, at what she did to Rhoda Regina. It was just so outrageous! But ultimately, like others have said, the laughter eventually felt hollow. 5y

sisilia The film moment is a great opening @Theaelizabet 5y

sisilia @Liz_M Agreed. Somehow I found her more irritating than funny. I got so irritated in her conversation with Maxine that I threw my book 😆 Poor Maxine! 5y

Reviewsbylola I‘m laughing at her and with her simultaneously. Like she‘s a great literary companion. She‘d drive me nuts in real life. 5y

batsy I agree with all! I found myself both laughing & cringing, but it slowly becomes clear that despite that relentless stand-up comedy pace of the witticisms we get from Harriet, life isn't a laughing matter for her. The acerbic, bitchy humour is a protective shield. My favourite lines are numerous, but my ultimate fave: "As an American, my war against injustice knows no bounds" As @vivastory says, there's quite a bit of biting social commentary! 5y

BarbaraBB @vivastory Unfiltered and brutally honest, That‘s exactly it. You feel sorry for her and yet admire her for all she dares saying - things we‘d like to spill too but never would! 5y

Suet624 I was laughing with her. Not at all. Not at all. My favorite part by far was at the beginning when she was talking about the film that she and Claude had just seen. What a stunning way to start a novel - just shock the bejesus out of the reader! 5y

GatheringBooks Just like everyone, it was the first part that entertained me most of all, the biting sarcasm, the certitude of her sense of rightness about the film (about everything really). but what amused me most of all was her convo with maxine as @sisilia mentioned. unapologetically in-your-face, strident, and confrontational. 5y

34 likes28 comments

After Claude | Iris Owens

QUESTION 2: After Claude is set in 1970s New York City and includes frequent references to particular New York streets and landmarks. How important is New York City for the novel? Could the events be transplanted to, for example, Chicago or Philadelphia? Are Harriet and the novel she narrates in any way distinct products of the city in which they grew up?
#NYRBbookclub

vivastory The novel definitely feels like a NY novel, & Owens thanks the Chelsea in the preface, but it's more a result of the people rather than the actual landmarks etc. I could see it easily taking place in any major metropolitan city around the same time. 5y

Theaelizabet @vivastory I agree. It's very New Yorky, but I think a similar story could be told in Chicago or Philly. Interestingly, I'd have to stop there. Boston? L.A.? Houston? I don't think so. Hmmm. I need to think about why. 5y

Leftcoastzen I think to an extent it could be in another east coast city but it has a definite New York is going bad feeling.The level of grit and neurosis.Plus I don‘t see French Claude being in just any city. 5y

See All 26 Comments

vivastory @Theaelizabet I think any metropolitan city that people can easily get around. It doesn't feel like a book that would work in a more sprawling city. 5y

youneverarrived I love the fact it was set in NY but I think it could have taken place in another major city. It didn‘t feel like one of those novels where place is a central part. (edited) 5y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen Good point about Claude 5y

emilyhaldi @vivastory @Theaelizabet @Leftcoastzen I particularly loved when Maxine came in for a city visit from the suburbs, talking about her Jewish dentist hubby.. reminded me of my time in nyc when we city folks started judging our friends who married and moved off to the burbs 😆 (now I'm one of them) (edited) 5y

Theaelizabet @Leftcoastzen “Plus I don't see French Claude being in just any city.“ That's it! Nowadays there might be French Claudes everywhere, but in 1973 NYC was our European gateway. 5y

emilyhaldi @Theaelizabet @Leftcoastzen there certainly don't seem to be many French Claudes here in Columbus Ohio! 5y

Rachel_nyc I agree with the other comments so far. As a New Yorker, I loved that it was set here and Owens did a good job of portraying NYC in all its gritty splendor of the time, but I could see it set in a select number of big cities. I would maybe add New Orleans and San Francisco to the ones mentioned. 5y

Theaelizabet @emilyhaldi Me, too! Was Maxine in Long Island? I don't remember. But it definitely had that suburban v. NYC thing going. 5y

emilyhaldi @Rachel_nyc yes definitely New Orleans!!! A la Confederacy of Dunces 🤗 5y

emilyhaldi @Theaelizabet I was thinking Long Island too but couldn't remember... She certainly fits the bill! 5y

Rachel_nyc @emilyhaldi Ha ha yes! I‘m not sure who mentioned it in another thread but a book about Ignatius and Harriet would be insane. 5y

vivastory @Rachel_nyc Yes!! Harriet reminds me of Ignatius girlfriend that shows up. I remember when I read CoD thinking, "It'd be interesting to read a book with this character in it." I feel like that book is After Claude ? 5y

Rachel_nyc @vivastory I think you‘re right! 🤣 5y

emilyhaldi @vivastory Myrna Minkoff!!! 😂😂 5y

sisilia It could have taken place in modern Singapore hahaha... there are so many French Claudes in my condo! But no, NYC is still the perfect spot for 70s art culture 5y

Reviewsbylola I‘m not all that familiar with NYC but I do think this story was very indicative of the time and therefore could have taken place anywhere. The cult part at the end took me back to the Manson family and how communes and darker shit were popping up anywhere. 5y

batsy @sisilia Hahaha, I was going to say present day Kuala Lumpur is also swarming with Claudes 🙄😂 Now you've got me wishing someone would write the Asian Harriet. 5y

batsy Not been to the US so hard for me to tell, but I did feel the urban ennui and fear that Harriet feels can be displaced onto any other big city. But good point by @Leftcoastzen about what people like Claude would be drawn to. I'm guessing counter cultural 70s NYC was *it* 😁 5y

Leftcoastzen @batsy Thx ! When NYC faced bankruptcy in the 70s , NY Post headline was something like New York City , drop dead in regards to a bailout .Ford never said it , and lest you think I‘m That old , I was alive ,but incredibly young🤣 5y

BarbaraBB Great discussion. I wouldn‘t have known there are cities in the US could and couldn‘t have taken place! 5y

BarbaraBB It could have been in Amsterdam as well I think, especially the parts about judging people moving to the suburbs, lol 😂😉 5y

Suet624 I find all large cities to be lonely and cold places. 😀 So I think this could have taken place in any large city. 5y

GatheringBooks @batsy @sisilia I was thinking the exact same thing! could be modern day kl or singapore - that is, the presence of french claude. but harriet and the getting high and the cult - hmm probly not so much. but what do i know, really? me -> nerd, so perhaps a diff crowd in sg/kl may have a similar experience. but agreed that it has a distinct ny feel to it, but the vibe also reminded me of the sense i got reading makkai‘s

The Great Believers

34 likes26 comments

After Claude | Iris Owens

QUESTION 1: Harriet is a particularly marked voice as a narrarator. Describe this voice and how it colors our understanding and experience of the events of the novel. Can you imagine the novel written in the third person? What would be lost and what would be gained by this?

#NYRBbookclub

Theaelizabet The entire book would be lost in the third person. Harriet is everything. We're amazed and appalled at what she does tell us, and extremely curious about what she doesn't. (edited) 5y

vivastory It's interesting because I think that the greatest strength is the use of a first person narrator, but one of the weaknesses of Owens' novel is that because of her attitude she frequently comes across as one dimensional. I occasionally felt like I was reading an episode of South Park goes to NY in the 70s. 5y

vivastory @Theaelizabet I think that is really interesting, too. How much of what she says is sincere & how much is covering for an insecurity or is a type of front. 5y

See All 30 Comments

Theaelizabet @vivastory That's funny! Now, if I ever reread this, I'm going to have that stuck in my head! I can see what you mean, though. 5y

vivastory @Theaelizabet There was even a part when she is talking to her friend in the kitchen & her friend actually says, "she's not fat, she's big-boned" ? 5y

youneverarrived I think if it was written in third person we‘d lose some of the humour; it‘s her lack of self-awareness and bluntness that makes her funny but I think it might seem more sad from a third person perspective. 5y

youneverarrived @vivastory that‘s true about being a bit one dimensional. I think if it was written in third person we‘d probably gain more insight to make her less so. 5y

vivastory @youneverarrived Yeah, it's really hard to imagine a third person After Claude that wouldn't feel like a Confederacy of Dunces knockoff 5y

Theaelizabet I kept wanting to “peak around the corner,“ or see scenes through an independent lens, but not enough to wish for third person. 5y

youneverarrived @Theaelizabet same 5y

vivastory @youneverarrived It would have been interesting if Owens had utilized dual first person narratives. But I'm not sure there is really another character compelling enough in the book to make that work 5y

vivastory @Theaelizabet Yes. Well said. 5y

emilyhaldi @youneverarrived so true that third person would be more insightful and therefore more sad... I definitely agree with that. When we can hear the humor from inside the mind of Harriet it's like we can laugh with her. But watching from the outside its a complete train wreck 🤦🏻‍♀️ 5y

emilyhaldi @Theaelizabet agreed!! The whole nature of the book would be lost 5y

emilyhaldi @vivastory so true!!! It's both Owens' greatest strength and weakness. I certainly reached a point in the book when I began to tire of hearing Harriet's continuous, exhausting stream of concious. 5y

mklong Even though we don‘t get another perspective, I think we do get a good idea of what other people think of Harriet by their reactions to her. As exasperating as she is, she hasn‘t managed to alienate everyone in her life. Even Claude takes longer than you would think to reach the end of his rope. They must see the spark of humor and brilliance that makes her somewhat endearing to the reader. 5y

Rachel_nyc @Theaelizabet Yes exactly! I think Owens did a fair job of that through comments by Maxine and Claude but I wanted to know more about how others see Harriet. Not enough to lose the first person narrative though. 5y

youneverarrived @vivastory yeah it might have broadened it a bit but like you say there isn‘t another character really that is as interesting. It‘s Harriet‘s voice that makes it so compelling. 5y

Leftcoastzen I basically agree that it had to be written the way it was,you are kind of along for the ride , to see her from a different lens would lose the power of it . 5y

vivastory @mklong I was definitely surprised by how long it was before Claude kicked her out (& then she changed the lock) 😂 5y

Liz_M @Theaelizabet Us, it would be a completely different book if told in third person Now I am trying to think of an example of an awful, manipulative woman character that is third person.... Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair? Dangerous Lessons (movie, the book was epistolary).... 5y

sisilia I wouldn‘t get as irritated if it was written in third person, I think 😆 5y

merelybookish @vivastory @mklong I think it helped that Claude traveled a lot... 5y

Reviewsbylola Harriet is fucking amazing and this story would have been totally unbelievable and not authentic in 3rd person. 5y

batsy What @Reviewsbylola said 😂 I kind of felt like @Theaelizabet in that I wanted to get a peek of how others see her, but not enough to give up the tour de force of writing that was that 1st person voice. Like @youneverarrived said it would have been a rather sad book had we seen it from the other side. The raw humour & power of this book comes from Harriet's unfiltered thoughts. I don't think I'll ever forget Harriet or struggle to recall this book 5y

emilyhaldi So funny @batsy I agree!!! I think harriet will have major staying power.. a book I imagine I'll remember for a looooong time. That's the sign of a talented author in my opinion, no matter if I loved the book or not! (But I did in this case 😉) (edited) 5y

BarbaraBB Great comments above. I‘d like to add that the first person also shows Claude and Maxine from Harriet‘s pov, which makes them so unreal, which I think added so much to the atmosphere of the book. 5y

GatheringBooks @Theaelizabet like you, i didn‘t really give the first person voice much thought earlier, but agreed that it couldn‘t have been written in a more effective manner. hers is a distinct voice, alright. exasperating, grating, brutally honest. 5y

Suet624 I loved Harriet and her comments. I am in complete agreement with @reviewsbylola. I know a few folks like Harriet and, while they can be trying, I love them for their bold and fantastic statements. 5y

Aimeesue Completely agree with @BarbaraBB and @batsy- Harriet's POV is obviously warped, but it's probably the only way the book makes sense. Without it, you'd have no idea why Harriet does the things she does. She does have an internal logic, which isn't really apparent from the outside. (edited) 5y

36 likes30 comments

After Claude | Iris Owens

15 minute countdown until our After Claude discussion!! Feel free to join in anytime- I can't wait to hear your thoughts!!
#NYRBbookclub

GatheringBooks, sprainedbrain, sisilia, LeahBergen, Rachel_nyc, Leftcoastzen, Reviewsbylola, youneverarrived, MicheleinPhilly, mklong, Suet624, merelybookish, saresmoore, batsy, vivastory, BarbaraBB, Liz_M, Theaelizabet

vivastory 👏👏 5y

Suet624 Shoot. Traveling to help a friend in need! 5y

emilyhaldi Good for you!! @Suet624 feel free to add your thoughts later or any time ❤️ 5y

vivastory @Suet624 I'd love to hear your thoughts when you have a chance! 5y

Reviewsbylola Sorry, I totally flaked. 🙈 5y

51 likes5 comments

Theaelizabet

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

Harriet is self-involved, splenetic, pitiful--and funny. Her life “After Claude“ is just plain weird. She is decidedly not a good girl. Or a nice girl. Those smarter than me could probably trace a through line from her to Nadia of Netflix's Russian Doll, or to any other female character who's allowed to be a train wreck. I didn't like her, but I sure kept thinking about her. #nyrbbookclub

BarbaraBB Great review. It seems we‘re all agreeing again on our book this month! 5y

Theaelizabet @BarbaraBB Thanks! There‘s going to be a lot to chew on! 5y

vivastory I keep meaning to check out that show. Great review! 5y

See All 7 Comments

Theaelizabet @vivastory I disliked the show in the beginning, but hung in to see where they were headed, and ended up really enjoying it. That character had more agency than Harriet, but there were certainly similarities. Thanks. 5y

BarbaraBB Hi, just checking in. I am missing you in our NYRB book club! Hope all is well 💕 5y

Theaelizabet @BarbaraBB Thanks so much for thinking of me! Life got away from me (in good ways, not bad) and I just needed to set aside social media for a time. I hope to be back in the groove (and in the NYRB book club, which I so enjoyed) in November, December at the latest. Again, thanks for reaching out! 5y

BarbaraBB Just happy to hear you‘re well. Enjoy life‘s other things and I hope you‘ll be back in the book club later this year 😘 5y

33 likes7 comments

batsy

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

1st half: a brutally & savagely hilarious character study of a woman at the end of her romantic tether. As @Leftcoastzen put it, Harriet has no filter: she's like the subconscious as stand-up comedy. Bitchy & dark & endearing & repulsive. Then comes the 2nd half, which puts Harriet in contact with other (odd & nefarious) people. How much of it is in her mind? This filled me with sadness & unease; Harriet displays a number of complexes & issues. ⬇️

batsy Despite her brash bravado & conviction that everyone else is dumb, Harriet seems to be a hypochondriac with social anxiety manifesting in a number of ways, most obviously in her worldview & her relationships. Also disturbing are her whipsmart observations about her ex, the "French rat" Claude, that's clouded by her lack of judgment. Her existence is predicated on how men desire her, & sadly that makes her very vulnerable, as the ending hints. 6y

batsy A most discomfiting read; quite terrible & brilliant & funny & exhausting all at once. I'm so glad I read it & I'm tempted (once I've recovered) to look up Owens' one other "normal" novel (as opposed to her porn novels, which might also have something interesting to say!) #NYRBbookclub @emilyhaldi @vivastory [Illustration above from https://nyrbclassics.tumblr.com/post/66816098398/did-iris-owens-inspire-a-woody-... 6y

Tanisha_A Will you take me as your student and teach me how to write brilliant book reviews? *puppy face* ❤️ Haven't read any NYRB, should get started with something. 😅 6y

See All 26 Comments

Leftcoastzen Great review!A character to remember, you get to the complexity of her behind the facade. 6y

Billypar She sounds like a character I'd like to meet! 6y

sisilia @Tanisha_A I will definitely sign up, too! 😚 @batsy writes the best review 6y

batsy @Tanisha_A @sisilia Thank you, friends ☺️ You are too kind ❤️❤️ 6y

batsy @Leftcoastzen Thank you! She's pretty unforgettable! 6y

batsy @Billypar Yes, I'd love to know what you think when you do meet her 😆 6y

Cathythoughts Yes ! @sisilia @Tanisha_A yes ! @batsy is so good at reviews , always finding the words for an interesting review... very studied & insightful... 🙏🏻 6y

batsy @Cathythoughts Thank you, Cathy 😘😘 This was such a rich book, stirred up a lot of complex feelings... 6y

vivastory Insightful review, as always! I agree that Harriet's blunt honesty is hiding something. It's hard to say exactly what. I see your point about her most likely being a hypochondriac. I think she is also suffering from some type of insecurity, overcompensating for it with her attitude. 6y

youneverarrived Brilliant review, as always 🖤 6y

batsy @vivastory Thank you! Yes, you've hit the nail on the head with insecurity, I think. Underneath the wit and bluster she is very afraid 💔 6y

batsy @youneverarrived Thank you! ❤️ 6y

merelybookish Brilliant as always! I want to know what happened to Harriet in France!! 6y

readordierachel Wonderful review. I'm intrigued! 6y

Centique Just beautifully said 😍💕 6y

batsy @merelybookish Thank you! I'm wondering what happened there, too! She keeps referring to "her true love, MacDonald" ? 5y

batsy @readordierachel @Centique Thank you! If you're ready for an unlikeable but hilarious female protagonist saying nothing but the wrong (often hilarious, sometimes true) things all the time, this is the book 😆 5y

emilyhaldi So insightful!! Such a complex book and character.... I would love to know more about Harriet's childhood and how much of her insecurities / delusion / anxiety / etc stem from her strange relationship (or lack thereof) with her mother. Interesting how she sometimes refers to her parents as deceased and other times alive. Seems to be a lot to unpack there and the book only skims the surface!! 5y

batsy @emilyhaldi Yes, I agree that there's more I'd like to know! There should have been a follow up like I Killed Claude for both Harriet and us to get some closure 😆 But you're right, the way she talked about her parents suggests so much untapped potential (for a book!) 5y

RohitSawant *Standing ovation gif* 🙌🏼 💕 5y

batsy @rohit-sawant Thank you 😁💜 5y

TrishB Awesome review as always 😘 5y

batsy Thank you @TrishB ❤️ 5y

96 likes6 stack adds26 comments

batsy

After Claude | Iris Owens

Oh, Harriet. It's the "I confessed" that kills me ? For someone so deliciously bitchy and smart and funny, it's both hilarious and sad how she lacks self-awareness. I think @Reviewsbylola comparing Harriet to Ignatius Reilly is spot on.

#NYRBbookclub @vivastory @emilyhaldi

GatheringBooks that part of the book was just heartbreakingly sad 6y

batsy @GatheringBooks I just finished and underneath the brilliant black humour is so much sadness. 6y

saresmoore I am struggling very much to make it through the last 30 pages. Harriet‘s utter lack of empathy, the narcissism that belies intense self-loathing, and her myriad addictions are a bit too close to home. That being said, I don‘t think I‘ve ever read such a depressingly hilarious, spot on psychological profile in any other work of fiction. 6y

See All 13 Comments

merelybookish @saresmoore @batsy I also found the book sad. There was a cynicism or darkness that ran through it that disturbed me. 6y

Reviewsbylola I would love to see Harriett and Ignatius on a date. Can you only imagine?! 🤣 6y

batsy @saresmoore @merelybookish I feel that, too. Harriet certainly has a lot of neuroses and complexes that make her a tragic figure, despite her being completely insufferable at times. There's a lot going on under the wisecrack-a-minute routine. 6y

batsy @Reviewsbylola Nothing will prepare me for that book, though I do want to read it 😆🤯 6y

BarbaraBB @saresmoore The weird thing is I thought that about Cassandra too (the spot on psychological profile). (edited) 6y

BarbaraBB This quote is great. Harriet is actually touching here. Then again, I struggled with those last pages too. 6y

saresmoore @BarbaraBB So did I! But I think it may be that they‘re both representing similar traits, like cognitive dissonance and passive aggression. The first-person perspective is so in-your-face in both books, but I find Cassandra‘s thoughts to be more relatable, if equally loathsome at times. Harriet reads more like a bizarre case study. 6y

BarbaraBB @saresmoore To me Harriet feels more like a caricature than a real person. 6y

emilyhaldi I was about 60 pages into the book before I had my own Ignatius recognition with Harriet! 💡 From that point forward I couldn't stop picturing him saying the words coming out of Harriets mouth 😂 6y

batsy @emilyhaldi Right? It added another layer of bamboozled hilarity on my part, for sure 😂 6y

89 likes1 stack add13 comments

Liz_M

After Claude | Iris Owens

Where to begin.....?
#nyrbbookclub

Cathythoughts Indeed.... that‘s the question 6y

BarbaraBB Lol 😂😂😂 I‘d mix them all up 🤣 6y

LeahBergen Start with a couple of shots of the hard stuff. 😆 6y

Liz_M @BarbaraBB, @LeahBergen Are you trying to make a Harriet out of me? 6y

18 likes4 comments

Reviewsbylola

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

No lies, I really didn‘t care for Cassandra at the Wedding. So when I saw some Litsy posts that indicated that the character of Harriet was even more irritating than that of Cassandra, I was very worried. But where Cassandra was just a complete bore, Harriet embodied the hilarity and absurdity of one of my favorite literary heroes, Ignatius Reilly. So obviously, After Claude was a pick for me! #nyrbbookclub

Theaelizabet Interesting. I felt Harriet begat Nadia in Russian Doll and I figured there were others. I still need to post a review. 6y

batsy It's early days yet for me with this book but I'm utterly amused by Harriet and the comparison to Ignatius Reilly is clever! 👏🏽 6y

LeahBergen Oh, she‘s totally like Ignatius. 😆 6y

See All 8 Comments

Reviewsbylola Can you imagine the two of them in a room together?! 🤯 @LeahBergen 6y

Cinfhen Oh! So I will definitely HATE this book!!!! 6y

Reviewsbylola Very possible! @Cinfhen 6y

emilyhaldi Yesssssss!!! Glad you liked it 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 better clear off your calendar for our discussion this Saturday!! 6y

Mdargusch 😂😂🤣🤣 @Cinfhen 6y

90 likes1 stack add8 comments

After Claude | Iris Owens

Hi @emilyhaldi 👋🏻 Thanks for the June picks 🥰 I got all three books and I have read them all #nyrb #nyrbclassics #nyrbbookclub

emilyhaldi Wow you‘re speedy!!! 🏃🏻‍♀️ what did you think of Meaningful Life? And which of the 3 is your fav?! (edited) 6y

sisilia @emilyhaldi I like the first part of Meaningful Life, but i got bored towards the end. My fav is the Modiano. I like how he weaved in four narrators with the lady as the main character. Smart, subtle, and somehow romantic. Maybe it‘s the Paris thing 😅 (edited) 6y

BarbaraBB Thanks for the reviews! I remember reading Davis bored me sometimes too. 6y

See All 8 Comments

sisilia @BarbaraBB It took me ages to read the last 50 pages😞 6y

vivastory I think I have the Modiano on my shelves. I have the feeling it will eventually be selected. 6y

Reviewsbylola I love that you read all three! 6y

sisilia @vivastory It‘d be a good book for discussion 👍🏻 6y

sisilia @Reviewsbylola 🤗 6y

64 likes8 comments

youneverarrived

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

I didn‘t like the second half. However, I haven‘t laughed so much reading a novel as I did reading the first half. It‘s sarcastic, witty and to the bone humour. Brilliantly written. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #nyrbbookclub

LeahBergen Yes, chapters 9 and 10?? 🤔 6y

BarbaraBB The book shouldn‘t have been named After Claude, since that part is the least interesting 😉 6y

emilyhaldi Things really took a strange turn... 😳 6y

See All 6 Comments

Suet624 @emilyhaldi 😂😂😂 it sure did! 6y

vivastory @BarbaraBB 😂😂 6y

Reviewsbylola Yes, def very well done! 6y

70 likes6 comments

Leftcoastzen

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

Oh Harriet, you have no filter! I think these things & don‘t say them out loud.Our #NYRBbookclub pick had me laughing & cringing, wondering how far can she spin?Claude doesn‘t seem like much of a joy either.In mid 1970s New York, gritty & nearly bankrupt, Harriet finds herself in the Chelsea, room paid for, but only for a limited time.The new people she meets , even stranger.Will they be the key to her future?Or has she just run out of options?

emilyhaldi Nice review. And oh, soooo much cringing with this one 😆 6y

BarbaraBB Great review. Harriet has indeed no filter between what a person can think and actually say out loud 😀 6y

vivastory No filter at all. But, is she trolling people or is she just bluntly honest? Or a combination of both? 6y

See All 7 Comments

Leftcoastzen @vivastory both I think. If you don‘t like where the conversation is going ,change the conversation!😂 (edited) 6y

vivastory Very true 😂 6y

Leftcoastzen @vivastory I stole that line from Don Draper!😂 6y

Reviewsbylola Yeah Claude seemed like a douche. But how did he put up with Harriet for six months?! 6y

48 likes7 comments

Aimeesue

After Claude | Iris Owens

#nyrbbookclub
#ala

Reviewsbylola 🤤🤤 awesome table! And that bag! 6y

LeahBergen Eeeeee! That totebag!!! 😮😮😮 6y

BarbaraBB I love every pixel of that pic! 💜 6y

See All 8 Comments

Aimeesue @Reviewsbylola @Leah règne @BarbaraBB I just wanted to scoop them all up and run off with that bag! ? 6y

sisilia 😱 Awesomenesssss 6y

vivastory This is amazing. Where did you see this? 6y

vivastory Ah, never mind. I see your hashtag. 6y

Aimeesue @vivastory 😂 It was at the ALA annual conference in DC. I live very close by, so took advantage of the Litsy passes for the exhibits hall yesterday. 6y

33 likes8 comments

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

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

Well that was... something!
I applaud Owens‘ ability to blend Harriet‘s complete and utter self-destructive behavior with such wit and comedy! I laughed, winced, gasped, and cringed myself to exhaustion... and that was within the first 30 pages! Whether you love Harriet or hate her (or both!), you'll surely feel some kinda way. So join @vivastory and me on Saturday 6/29 at 1pm for some lively discussion 🤗
#NYRBbookclub

saresmoore Looking forward to it! 6y

Rachel_nyc Great review and I can‘t wait to discuss! 6y

See All 17 Comments

LeahBergen I‘ll be out of town this weekend but I‘ll check and post on the discussion later that evening. I can‘t wait! 👏🏻👏🏻 6y

Liz_M 1 pm in which time zone? I am on vacation and most likely will be in Mum's backyard lounging, so I have to be sure to set an alarm to remind myself to get online 😁 6y

emilyhaldi Whoops!! @Liz_M silly me! 1pm EDT (I‘m in Ohio) 😊 where will you be on vacation? Backyard lounging sounds fabulous 🌤 hope you can join! 6y

Reviewsbylola Diving back in momentarily! 6y

GatheringBooks hey everyone! will join late probly but will def share my thoughts - singapore time zone at the moment, so my responses will not be synchronous with yours, sadly. 6y

batsy Same with @GatheringBooks so will join in later! Looking forward to reading it this week 😅 and to the discussion! 6y

BarbaraBB I‘ll be at a music festival all day and evening but I‘ll make sure to catch up later. Can‘t wait to read your thoughts and discuss this one! 6y

Liz_M @emilyhaldi I'll be in Minnesota visiting family, which is usually a lazy vacation with a lot of reading in the backyard, several days at the lake, and many meals out. 🙂 6y

emilyhaldi A lazy vacation is the best kind of vacation!!! @Liz_M enjoy 🤗 6y

Blueberry @Liz_M I love your vacation. 6y

vivastory Enjoy your vacation @Liz_M 👏📚📚🌲🍰🍷 6y

vivastory @BarbaraBB That sounds like a lot of fun. Enjoy! 6y

vivastory Wonderful review! I'm looking forward to our discussion! 6y

Mdargusch I hope I remember. I‘m intrigued 6y

93 likes17 comments

merelybookish

After Claude | Iris Owens

so-so

I guess there's a reason some books go out of print. 😬
As a historical text, it's interesting, especially in our current moment as we think about women's anger. Harriet is annoying (understatement) but her sense of life as shaped by men's needs/desires is not unfounded. The end kind of disturbed me.
But as a read, I dunno. Creation of voice is stellar but maybe it would have worked better as a short story. A little Harriet goes a long way. 😜

merelybookish Looking forward to our #NYRBbookclub discussion @vivastory @emilyhaldi 6y

LeahBergen I‘m so looking forward to this discussion. 😂😂 6y

vivastory I think it will be a lively discussion! 6y

See All 9 Comments

saresmoore Agreed that a little Harriet goes a long way! 6y

Theaelizabet Discussion should be interesting! 6y

merelybookish @saresmoore I feel like 200 pages was more Harriet than I wanted! 6y

merelybookish @vivastory @Theaelizabet @leahbergen Harriet gives plenty to discuss! 6y

batsy I keep coming back to this image and giggling. I'm only starting this tonight; my physical copy still hasn't arrived and I've given up on gone with the Kindle 🤪 6y

merelybookish @batsy Oooh, well I'll be interested to hear what what dafuq you think. :) I may be the outlier on this one as most people seem to like it more than me. (And yeah, Kindles are useful but not the same, imo.) 6y

65 likes9 comments

Leftcoastzen

After Claude | Iris Owens

When you are down on the floor reading After Claude and realize your bookcase is pretty messy.

gradcat And yours is a LOT neater than mine! 6y

LeahBergen I thought you might‘ve fallen and needed assistance. 😆 6y

cherinium I don't think that is messy. It's just packed full--which is a good thing. 6y

See All 19 Comments

Leftcoastzen @LeahBergen 😂😂😂to much 🍷.just kidding , no wine .Sometimes my back needs a long stretch on a hard , flat surface.That room is carpeted. 6y

Leftcoastzen @cherinium I like how you think.😀 6y

Leftcoastzen @gradcat Thanks , some of my bookcases are really well organized, this one has clumps of organization, this one and 3 others need to be totally redone. 6y

Hooked_on_books I actually love this photo. I feel like the books are towering over me in the best way. 6y

Reagan Oooh The Tommyknockers, a personal favourite! That bookshelf looks perfect to me ❤️ 6y

elkeOriginal Nice view 📚📚 6y

Susannah This is a great photo, though I have to say that when I think of where you‘re sitting, I hope you don‘t live in an earthquake-prone area. (I live in SoCal; I sometimes get panicky about tall, laden bookshelves. 🤷‍♀️) 6y

gradcat I need to organize mine, but I keep thinking I‘m going to move. I guess at that point I‘ll have to (big gulp) get rid of some of them. 😰 6y

Leftcoastzen @elkeo_TheBookDragon Thx! 6y

Leftcoastzen @Reagan-reads 😀Thx! 6y

Leftcoastzen @Susannah I did live in Nor Cal and So Cal ,bookcases we‘re bolted to the wall & less overloaded.I was never in a “big one”just little shakers , never lost a plate or book.Live in Az now, minor quake in Duncan Az.recently.I still would never hang heavy pictures or have tall dresser or tall bookcase near a bed, why chance it. 6y

Leftcoastzen @gradcat moving with books is hard , I get rid of some but I have always had at least 30 to 40 boxes of books per move.I kept some in storage way too long when I lived in small places, when reunited , I was glad ,no regrets.But I know how people must downsize and make difficult choices sometimes . 6y

Suet624 @Leftcoastzen yes. Moving books, I‘ve never regretted it. I love opening the books a year or two later and feeling so satisfied and in love. 😁 6y

gradcat I have some from grad school that I cannot bear to part with, not to mention they were quite expensive. 6y

ValerieAndBooks Looks pretty good to me 😍📚📚📚!! 6y

Leftcoastzen @ValerieAndBooks I was stunned by its awesomeness when I was down there! 6y

61 likes19 comments

MicheleinPhilly

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

I first read this novel about 6 years ago and if you had asked me then if I would ever consider re-reading it, my response would have been a resounding “Hell no!” Harriet makes Cassandra seem like a saint in comparison. While my rating is the same (3, maybe 3.5🌟), it‘s a solid pick rather than a so-so. Looking forward to the discussion! #nyrbbookclub

LeahBergen I just finished it, too! 6y

MicheleinPhilly @LeahBergen 👍🏼 6y

Theaelizabet Finished this afternoon. Still thinking... 6y

See All 7 Comments

vivastory I'm curious, do you remember how you heard about it when you read it? I was unaware of it before it was nominated 6y

MicheleinPhilly @vivastory I would guess that I saw it in the NYRB catalog they send you when you order from them OR that I saw it on a book blog. The more I think about it the more I think it was the latter. I used to follow a blogger that read and wrote about NYRBs pretty consistently. 6y

Reviewsbylola I will take Harriet over Cassandra any day!! Cassandra is such a bore. 6y

MicheleinPhilly @Reviewsbylola 😂😂😂 6y

61 likes7 comments

After Claude | Iris Owens

Ya'll. Admittedly, I was fond of Harriet while reading this book. And now, several days after finishing it, and now seeing all of your lovely book posts updates, I'm finding myself reminiscing over the time we spent together. That girl is UNHINGED but boy is she a riot!!! Reading back through some gems that I underlined and thinking this very well could be a reread for me someday when I need a laugh... #callmecrazy #NYRBbookclub

vivastory

Leftcoastzen I loved that little speech,I‘m still reading it. 6y

LeahBergen I‘m almost done and holy fuh. 😆😆😆😆 6y

Theaelizabet I‘m almost done. Ohhhh, Harriet! 6y

See All 11 Comments

BarbaraBB I agree her speeches are hilarious and I‘m sure I‘ll love then the second time around. She makes Cassandra bleak 😉 6y

Reviewsbylola Did you like her more than Cassandra? 🤞🏻🤞🏻 6y

vivastory Can you imagine if Harriet & Ignatius dated? 🤔😂 6y

vivastory @LeahBergen I nominate #holyfuh as the After Claude hashtag 🙋😄 6y

LeahBergen @vivastory A Confederacy of Bitches? 😆 6y

vivastory @LeahBergen 😂😂 I'd read the hell out of that! 6y

Suet624 I completely agree. She made me laugh out loud many a time and I greatly appreciated it. A reread is definitely warranted during the dark days. 6y

Mdargusch She‘s so exhausting! 6y

74 likes1 stack add11 comments

Rachel_nyc

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

Where to begin..Harriet is certainly, as my dad used to say, a real piece of work! As exhausting and exasperating as she was, reading her rants and about her antics was kind of delightful. I have to agree with my fellow #nyrbbookclub ers who have already said that the last few chapters felt like an entirely different book, although I do feel they humanized her a bit. Looking forward to discussing it further.

vivastory, BarbaraBB

Rachel_nyc Oh and @Liz_M I returned the book so hopefully you‘ve received notification and can begin! 6y

Suet624 I loved her rants. The first one in particular, after seeing the movie with Claude, had me laughing out loud and reading it to friends of mine. 6y

Theaelizabet @Suet624 That first rant kind of put me in her corner from the start, despite her subsequent, less appealing qualities. 6y

See All 12 Comments

Suet624 @Theaelizabet Oh good. So I‘m not alone. 😀 6y

Liz_M @Rachel_nyc Heh, I thought I was joking, but I did get notified by NYPL right around the time of your post! 😂 Looking forward to starting this on the morning commute. 6y

Rachel_nyc @Liz_M Great. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! 6y

Rachel_nyc @Suet624 That cab ride was hilarious. 6y

BarbaraBB Delightful is the right word, despite I would go crazy having her in my life! Such a cool idea that @Liz_M and you may be reading the same copy 💕 6y

Rachel_nyc @BarbaraBB Knowing a Harriet IRL would be a nightmare. I admit to having had friends that were similar but no one quite as over the top as her. It was an ebook and I love the idea that @Liz_M received the notification pretty much as soon as I returned it! 6y

BarbaraBB An ebook. Yet still! The coincidence! 6y

vivastory Fantastic review!!! I'm looking forward to your impressions @Liz_M 6y

Rachel_nyc @vivastory Thanks! This should be another fun one to discuss. 6y

21 likes12 comments

Suet624

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

This is my face after finishing this book. 😂😂😂 What the heck? I so enjoyed the snarky Harriet and then what happened?? 😂😂😂 l loved the first half a lot. #NYRBBookClub

merelybookish Cutie! 6y

GatheringBooks same - last half was too way out there for me. can‘t wait to discuss. 6y

Suet624 And of course Vermont would pop up as the place for crazy guru-types to live!! 6y

See All 29 Comments

vivastory I'm pretty sure this is the face of, "On the scale of one to even, I can't" ? 6y

vivastory 😂😂I thought of you when she mentioned Vermont 6y

wanderinglynn What a cutie! Her expression is priceless! ❤️ 6y

Tanisha_A Hahaha! The girl who reads! 6y

saresmoore Cutest meme ever!!!! 😍♥️😍♥️😍 6y

batsy This face is the best review ever 😁😍 6y

Suet624 @saresmoore Haha. She's a cutie, for sure. :)
6y

Suet624 @batsy Have you read this book yet??? I wonder what your face will look like. :) 6y

Suet624 @wanderinglynn She's actually annoyed that her buddy sitting next to her in the stroller just took her flower. :) 6y

wanderinglynn Aw, poor her. I‘d be annoyed too! 💚🌻 6y

Reggie Lolol 6y

emilyhaldi Is that your precious angel baby?!?! 😍 love her lewk, too 😏 6y

emilyhaldi And I agree!! The first 2/3 of the book was so enjoyable for me... and then WHAT 😳 6y

Suet624 @emilyhaldi That's my granddaughter, Gracie May. We hang out with each other 5 days a week.
6y

readordierachel Lol! 6y

BarbaraBB That look! Great review in word and image! 6y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB 😂😂😂 thanks! 6y

Jeg What a beautiful face and lucky you getting to hang out with her so often. 😍 6y

RohitSawant Adorable! 😄 6y

Izai.Amorim Poor me, I‘m the only one who didn‘t enjoy even the first half... 6y

Izai.Amorim I think her face is saying, I‘m more mature than that lady, Grandma... 6y

Suet624 @Izai.Amorim I‘m sorry you didn‘t enjoy the book. I can understand why. 😁 6y

Izai.Amorim @Suet624 Three words to sum this book up: lack of respect. She respects no one‘s boundaries or feelings. Maybe because she doesn‘t know what respect is. No self respect. Everything hidden under a thick coat of wit. But it stops being funny when you realize why she so badly needs to direct the criticism toward others. 6y

Suet624 @Izai.Amorim agree with the lack of respect. Desperation is what I felt. 6y

kspenmoll She is so damn cute. Those eyes!!‘ 6y

82 likes1 stack add29 comments

saresmoore

After Claude | Iris Owens

I‘m about halfway through this month‘s pick for #NYRBBookClub.

I‘m not saying that I want the first-person narrator, Harriet to come to a bitter end...but I‘m not NOT saying that, either. 😬

Her scathing critique of everyone and everything is hilarious in its flippancy, but it‘s also exhausting in its ubiquity. To Harriet, the only person who deserves any grace is herself, and even she doesn‘t get off scot-free.

Theaelizabet I‘m about halfway through, too, and would say that‘s a nice summation. 6y

merelybookish 😆 6y

vivastory She makes Cassandra look pretty chipper 6y

See All 15 Comments

saresmoore @vivastory So true! I miss Cassandra. 6y

MicheleinPhilly Harriet's an asshole. 6y

saresmoore @MicheleinPhilly Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. 6y

emilyhaldi Lol @MicheleinPhilly ...wondering if I‘m the only one that looks back on Harriet with fondness a week after finishing the book? 🤔😂 6y

LeahBergen OMG. Isn‘t she EXHAUSTING? 😆😆 6y

Suet624 @emilyhaldi I wouldn‘t want her as a friend, but I‘m quite fond of her as well. 6y

mklong I‘m with @vivastory she made me miss Cassandra! 6y

BarbaraBB @saresmoore @mklong @vivastory I was just mentioning Cassandra in another post about Harriet. It is such a coincidence that our two mc‘s are so, well, outspoken. I do miss Harriet a bit too @emilyhaldi but I miss Cassandra more. I keep wondering where she‘ll be now! Also @MicheleinPhilly 😂 6y

LeahBergen I sent you a message on Goodreads a few days ago (nothing of importance but just so you know 😘). 6y

BooksForEmpathy Thinking about you! Email me when you can. 5y

Cinfhen Hi....I‘m thinking about you....hope all is well xx 5y

Branwen Miss you, friend. 💕 Thinking of you and hope all is well. 5y

90 likes15 comments

Aimeesue

After Claude | Iris Owens

Cuz all the cool kids are doin‘ it.
#nyrbbookclub

vivastory Curious to see your thoughts on it 6y

LeahBergen I was just reading a bit right now and oh, man... Harriet! 😬 6y

Aimeesue I started reading it this morning …while I was waiting at the county health department …to be tested for TB. Felt kind of appropriate somehow. 😂😂 (Annual requirement for my job. Yay.) 6y

See All 11 Comments

AlaMich @Aimeesue I remember the TB test from my teaching days. 😣 6y

Aimeesue @AlaMich Yep, teachers and social workers. I was reading AC to take my mind off the thoroughly depressing flyers they gave me about TB. Not sure which was more terrifying. 😂 (edited) 6y

Cathythoughts The cool kids 😎... first time I‘ve been even remotely in that category 6y

Aimeesue @Cathythoughts keep your fingers crossed that it works. Declaring one's own group "cool" might be like trying to "make 'fetch' happen" - doomed to be the total opposite of cool. ? 6y

BarbaraBB And what are you thinking? Such a hilarious person, Harriet, don‘t you think? 6y

Aimeesue @BarbaraBB oh, Harriet! She makes me cringe and laugh in equal measure. With an occasional wince. 6y

BarbaraBB Keep an eye on @vivastory @emilyhaldi ‘s thread for the date of the discussion so you can join in! 6y

emilyhaldi So glad you're joining in!! Next Saturday, 6/29, I will post some discussion question so we can really dig into Harriet's crazy 🤪 I'm excited to find out how many love vs hate her! 6y

42 likes1 stack add11 comments

merelybookish

After Claude | Iris Owens

Owens was really pushing the boundary of "unlikeable female character" way back in 1973.
#NYRBbookclub @vivastory @emilyhaldi

saresmoore True! 6y

vivastory Very true 6y

emilyhaldi All kinds of boundaries being pushed!!! 6y

See All 11 Comments

Cathythoughts 👍🏻 6y

LeahBergen 😆😆 6y

MicheleinPhilly I think unlikeable is an understatement. 6y

BarbaraBB Lol @MicheleinPhilly 😂 6y

merelybookish @saremoore @vivastory @emilyhaldi @Cathythoughts @LeahBergen Imagine being her friend! Poor Rhoda-Regina! 6y

merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly Ha! True! Is loathsome better? 😄 6y

saresmoore My gosh, she‘s just horrible! I‘m reading now and came here to vent some of my frustration. Harriet makes the average bigoted narcissist look like a martyr. 😝 Sheesh! 6y

merelybookish @saresmoore Ha! No kidding! She does not improve (or mellow) over time. 6y

71 likes11 comments

Suet624

After Claude | Iris Owens

I ordered my #NYRBBookClub selection from Better World Books. I wasn‘t expecting to receive a discarded library book from West Virginia. 😂😂 I wonder what those patrons thought of the book back in the 70‘s.

Theaelizabet 😂 6y

Leftcoastzen Wow, that‘s something. 6y

charl08 Oh, I love those old stamps. Sometimes I get reserve stock books from the library and they go back decades. Impressive survivors of so many readers (or at least, borrowers). 6y

See All 10 Comments

Suet624 @charl08 that‘s so cool! 6y

DeeLew I bought another edition of The Outsiders on ThriftBooks and it ended up being an old high school library copy. Love it! ❤️ 6y

vivastory I agree with @charl08 I love the stamps 6y

batsy That is a very cool copy! And kind of a treasure :) 6y

emilyhaldi Oh wow!!! Boy would I love to know their thoughts too... 6y

LeahBergen 😆😆 6y

BarbaraBB Very cool! 6y

67 likes10 comments

LeahBergen

After Claude | Iris Owens

I‘m starting this instalment of the #NYRBBookClub a little late this month. Here‘s hoping the heavy pour of rosé makes Harriet a little more palatable. ??

#NYRB

rubyslippersreads I haven‘t even started this yet. 6y

emilyhaldi Smart move 😂🍷 6y

RaimeyGallant What does NYRB stand for? New York... 6y

See All 20 Comments

LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads I‘m just cracking it open myself. 😄 6y

LeahBergen @emilyhaldi I knew I‘d have your approval. 😄 6y

LeahBergen @RaimeyGallant New York Review Books (published by New York Review of Books). 😄 6y

Leftcoastzen Yeah what she said! I‘m starting tonight as well , I‘ve been backed up or is that stacked up? 6y

Leftcoastzen With 🍷 6y

RaimeyGallant @Leftcoastzen @LeahBergen I shouldn't have asked! Now I'm going to have to stack my tbr higher. 6y

merelybookish Harriet through rose coloured glasses. 😝 (Good plans. She's a tad abrasive.) 6y

Cathythoughts Enjoy... you might need a stronger drink for Harriet 😁 6y

BarbaraBB Oh I am so looking forward to hear what you both think of Harriet! A big wine may come in handy indeed 😂 @Leftcoastzen (edited) 6y

Izai.Amorim Very curious about your feedback. 6y

vivastory Did the wine help? I had a couple of glasses while reading it today 😄 6y

LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @merelybookish @Cathythoughts @BarbaraBB @Izai.Amorim @vivastory Send more wine, please. Stat! 😆 6y

Leftcoastzen She‘s something else! Need to buy more 🍷🍷🍷 6y

BarbaraBB @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen Drink more, drink more, but it won‘t help you digest Harriet 😂 6y

LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @BarbaraBB I had to take a little “mini break” from Harriet and finish another book. 🍷🍷🍷🍷 6y

Reviewsbylola I still haven‘t started this but I‘m about to finish up my current book. 6y

Izai.Amorim So, how did it go? 6y

99 likes20 comments

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

3⭐️ The blurb on the back of the book says, “Barbed, bitchy and hilariously sour.” That‘s how this novel is 😅 Harriet is insufferable; Owens makes it feel like this girl‘s yanking her verbal diarrhoea at me 🤯 The book has two parts: with Claude and sans Claude. The latter part is so vintage and so bizzare I don‘t know how to make sense out of it #nyrbbookclub #nyrb #nyrbclassics

Liz_M Gorgeous flowers! Nice contrast to the vivid imagery in your review. 😁 6y

Suet624 This photo is 💕💕💕 just getting started on this one. 6y

sisilia @Liz_M Trying to find a balance 😅 6y

See All 8 Comments

sisilia @Suet624 Have fun with Harriet 🤪 6y

emilyhaldi I‘m hoping someone can make sense of after-Claude bc I‘m dying to know what the heck I read?! 6y

sisilia @emilyhaldi Right?! I can‘t wait for the discussion 😹 6y

vivastory Great review! I found the introduction to be interesting & helpful for the second part. The Institute seemed to be involved in a form of Reichian Therapy. 6y

sisilia @vivastory Gosh I keep forgeting the introduction. I always skip it because spoilers 😅 Will check it out tonight 6y

70 likes8 comments

After Claude | Iris Owens

This is me responding to Harriet 🤯 #nyrbbookclub #nyrb #nyrbclassics

MicheleinPhilly 😂😂😂 6y

Theaelizabet Hahahahaha! 🤣 6y

Izai.Amorim She's really a pain, isn't she?😂 6y

sisilia @MicheleinPhilly @Theaelizabet @Izai.Amorim I just wanna stab her with a fork 🍴 6y

vivastory 😂😂 6y

50 likes5 comments

After Claude | Iris Owens

I just started this, and Harriet reminds me of a close friend! I must like what he likes, and hate what he hates, which is everything 🙈 #nyrb #nyrbclassics #nyrbbookclub

BarbaraBB Oh that must be so tiresome!! 6y

sisilia @BarbaraBB Yes! 😅 I can understand Claude‘s headache 6y

vivastory I had friends like that before... notice the past tense 😂 6y

sisilia @vivastory Better without 😁 6y

68 likes4 comments

BarbaraBB

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

What a surprising read. Harriet is one of the most political incorrect characters I‘ve ever met and she made me laugh out loud. I am glad I don‘t know anyone like her in real life! In the first part she is getting dumped by Claude (or the other way around as she claims). I loved that part. The after Claude part fell a bit flat for me. I am looking forward to what the #NYRBBookClub thinks of her ‘saviour‘ in the #GrandHotel.

#WanderingJune

Cinfhen, emilyhaldi, vivastory

vivastory Wonderful review. I'm going to read it this week. Looking forward to it! 6y

Theaelizabet Intriguing review! Starting this soon.. 6y

Leftcoastzen Great review ! I‘m starting soon as well 6y

See All 13 Comments

LeahBergen I‘ll be starting it next weekend! 👍🏻 6y

Liz_M It's this the #nyrbbookclub of witty, dysfunctional female protagonists? 6y

BarbaraBB @Liz_M It seems to be! What does this say about us voters 😉 ?! 6y

batsy I'm intrigued by this review! Still waiting for my copy to arrive 😂😭 6y

emilyhaldi I‘m glad this was a pick for you!! Was beginning to worry Harriet was too much for anyone 😆 I found her to be hilarious for the most part but politically incorrect and cringe-worthy at the same time 😖 and I agree 100% about the after-Claude part of the book... 6y

Mdargusch She reminds me of a female Ignatius @emilyhaldi! So politically incorrect! 6y

emilyhaldi Yes!!! I thought that so many times while reading @Mdargusch and was curious how many others would feel the same 😁😁 6y

BarbaraBB @Mdargusch @emilyhaldi I was really irritated by Ignatius, I remember. So much that I bailed on the book ☺️. But I do see the comparison! 6y

Mdargusch Exactly! @BarbaraBB Harriet was as annoying. 6y

BarbaraBB @Mdargusch I think now that I should have had more patience with Ignacius, not have given up that soon, since I really enjoyed Harriet! 6y

70 likes1 stack add13 comments

After Claude | Iris Owens

After a long week of work and no reading, I‘m getting back to my girl Harriet and my porch swing. Perhaps it‘s best to take a week off between Harriet appearances... she is exhausting, after all 😂
#NYRBbookclub

vivastory

BarbaraBB I am racing through my current read to start this one. I guess I shouldn‘t read it in one go?! (edited) 6y

cathysaid Is this a NYRB? 6y

Reviewsbylola I am waiting on this one from the library. 6y

See All 16 Comments

Theaelizabet First Cassandra and now Harriet? It seems as though #nyrbbookclub is focused on problematical women! 6y

LeahBergen @Theaelizabet Who‘s up next? We‘ll have to vote on an equally obnoxious character. 😆😆 6y

BarbaraBB @cathysaid Yes it is! 6y

emilyhaldi @BarbaraBB I‘m interested to see what you think! On one hand, once Harriet gets going I can‘t put the book down, but she‘s also quite exasperating!!! 6y

emilyhaldi @LeahBergen no kidding!!! Harriet is like Cassandra on speed! @Theaelizabet 🤪 6y

vivastory Cassandra on speed? Now I'm even more intrigued. I'm going to read it this week! 6y

Mdargusch This was an exhausting book! 😅 6y

Mdargusch I can loan you mine @Reviewsbylola if you don‘t get the library copy by Sunday. 6y

emilyhaldi LOL @Mdargusch I was thinking about warning you not to read it bc I knew it wouldn‘t be your cup of tea.. hope you didn‘t struggle too much 🙃 6y

Reviewsbylola Oh ok! Yes, I need a copy! @Mdargusch 6y

Reviewsbylola I hated Cassandra so I guess I‘ll hate Harriett too? 6y

Mdargusch Good chance @Reviewsbylola 😂 6y

Suet624 Cassandra on speed! Perfect description. 6y

83 likes2 stack adds16 comments

mklong

After Claude | Iris Owens

Friday night, done right.

Harriet is exhausting me so I may ditch her for Ocean Voung‘s poetry sooner than planned this evening.

#NYRBBookClub

emilyhaldi Harriet seems to be exhausting to most people 😂 perhaps she‘s best in small doses... or with a supplement of some kind 🍷💊 6y

mklong @emilyhaldi That is what the rose is for! She is going down a little smoother now that I‘m on my second glass. 6y

MicheleinPhilly I looked back at a journal I was keeping when I previously read this. I was not amused. 😂 I can‘t wait to see what I think the second time around. @emilyhaldi 6y

See All 12 Comments

BarbaraBB I‘ll start soon too with this one. Can‘t wait! 6y

LeahBergen Oh oh. Looks like I better head to the wine shop before starting this one. 😆 6y

mklong @leahbergen It definitely improves the experience! 6y

mklong @MicheleinPhilly @barbarabb I‘ve finished now and can‘t wait to discuss this one with all of you! Harriet is pretty terrible, but she will give us plenty to talk about. 6y

emilyhaldi @MicheleinPhilly I don‘t think I realized this was your second bout with Harriet!! Hoping you like her better this time around 😆🤞🏻 6y

MicheleinPhilly @emilyhaldi We‘ll see. My tolerance for bullshit plummets with every birthday. 😉 6y

Mdargusch I don‘t think I could reread this one @MicheleinPhilly 6y

mklong @Mdargusch Same. I couldn‘t go through that again. 6y

Mdargusch 🤣😂🤣 @mklong 6y

69 likes1 stack add12 comments

Cathythoughts

After Claude | Iris Owens

pick

I‘m not sure how to rate this ... between a pick & a so-so ! I started off finding her difficult & ended up really feeling for her 🤷🏻‍♀️. Will wait for discussion #NYRBBookclub

batsy Oh, you're done! 👏🏽 I'm still waiting for my copy 😂 I'm looking forward! 6y

Cathythoughts @batsy oh I hope you get it soon. I listened to this on Audible...👍🏻 6y

Tanisha_A @batsy 😂 The first 2 statements! 6y

See All 12 Comments

LeahBergen You‘re speedy! 😆 6y

Theaelizabet Oh, interesting! It sounds like we‘ll have a good discussion. 6y

Cathythoughts @LeahBergen I listened on Audible & it‘s not so long 😉 6y

Cathythoughts @Theaelizabet oh I‘d say so !!!! 6y

BarbaraBB I am looking forward to it. Will start it soon! 😘 6y

emilyhaldi I think Harriet will be a controversial character.. she's quit manic isn't she? I'm about halfway through the book and wondering if she's ever going to crash... She's exhausting! 😅 6y

Cathythoughts @BarbaraBB 👍🏻♥️ 6y

Cathythoughts @emilyhaldi manic is the word for her 👍🏻♥️💔 6y

vivastory Great review! I'm looking forward to reading this! 6y

57 likes12 comments