Overview

Frederica Hatch, born and raised in a college dorm and chafing under the care of the most annoyingly evenhanded parental team in the history of civilization, is starting to feel that her life is stiflingly snug. Then into this cozy but claustrophobic world comes Laura Lee French, a wannabe Rockette and the new dorm mother at the lackluster women's college where Frederica's parents teach and agitate. Further disturbing the peace is the fact that Miss French-in the distant past-had been married to Frederica's earnest and unglamorous father. Fearing scandal and campus glee, the three Hatches and Laura Lee attempt to keep their secret.

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9780792740537

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Reviews

Lovable, psychologically intricate... [a] bittersweet farce. -- New York Times Book Review Frederica Hatch-the articulate, curious, and naive narrator of Lipman's eighth novel-proves the perfect vehicle for this satiric yet compassionate family portrait...As in previous novels, Lipman addresses sensitive issues (anti-Semitism, adultery, dementia) with delicacy and acerbity. She also nails the shifts and moods of an angry teenager, a grandmother in denial, a philanderer in hiding, and a campus in shock. By the end, a smart young girl learns compassion for a world that can be grotesquely, hilariously, disturbingly unfair. -- Publishers Weekly May be Lipman's best work so far...Every page offers laugh-out-loud dialogue...So entertaining you're sorry to see it end. -- Seattle Times Elinor Lipman's eighth novel exhibits her trademark social satire, facility with dialogue, and humor. Like her other novels, it addresses themes close to the heart: the bonds between parents and children and between fiction and reality. Covering a few decades, the novel offers a smart, funny protagonist and outlandish, if highly realistic, situations... My Latest Grievance is worth a reader's every second. -- Bookmarks Magazine Completely irresistible. Expect high demand for this novel and renewed interest in Lipman's previous seven. Highly recommended. -- Library Journal (starred review) [A] delightful audiobook...Lipman's irresistible storytelling features charming descriptions and three-dimensional characters with crisp edges and vibrant colors. Mia Barron's performance is utterly appropriate for Lipman's style. Her animated voice sounds fresh and earnest, and she's engaging from the outset. Each member of this lively cast is given a distinct voice, and Barron's understanding of the text's humor and gentle social commentary is evident in a splendid reading. -- AudioFile Lipman-known for her wit, sharp societal observations, and lovely command of language--has created a novel of warmth, wisdom, love, and redemption that is funny and fun to read...Lipman skillfully matches the cadence of Frederica's growing up with the developments of the story to create moments to cherish and characters to adore. -- Booklist This is not-to-be-missed reading. -- BookPage

Author Information

Elinor Lipman is the author of a number of critically acclaimed novels, including The Inn at Lake Devine and My Latest Grievance, winner of the Paterson Fiction Prize. In 2001 she won the New England Book Award for Fiction. The film Then She Found Me, directed by and starring Helen Hunt, is based on her first novel. Mia Barron has worked at theaters in New York and around the country. Her film and television credits include The Guiding Light and the independent feature The F Word. She has won an AudioFile Earphones Award, and in 2003 she was awarded the Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award for her audiobook narration.

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