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Title: The Three Weissmanns of Westport
Author: Cathleen Schine
Narrator: Liza Ross
Format: Unabridged
Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
Language: English
Release date: 05-29-12
Publisher: Oakhill Publishing
Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2 votes
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary
Publisher's Summary:
When Joseph Weissmann divorced his wife, Betty, he was 78 years old and she was 75. The Weissmann sisters, Miranda, a successful literary agent, and Annie, a library director, unexpectedly find themselves the middle-aged products of a broken home.
Dumped by her husband of nearly 50 years and exiled from their elegant New York apartment, Betty moves to a small, run-down Westport beach cottage. Joining her are Miranda and Annie, who comes along to keep an eye on her capricious mother and sister.
Members Reviews:
Cathleen Schine shines in this comedy of manners.
I loved this book even more the second time around. The story takes off quickly when Joseph Weissmann announces that he is divorcing Betty, age 75, after a long and seemingly happy marriage. Needless to say, Betty is gobsmacked by the news.
Adding insult to injury, Betty is advised to leave her large apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the home she has occupied for years. Her two daughters, because of their dire financial situations, reluctantly agree to accompany their mother to a cottage in Westport, CT, provided to them by Uncle Lou who lives in a large house next door.
What could be more romantic than a cottage on the Long Island Sound in the wealthy community of Westport one wonders? Visions of enormous beach homes called "cottages" went through my head, as they did Betty's. Instead, this cottage sounds more like a small, unkempt outbuilding. With barely enough room to sleep and little living space, the trio moves in.
The characters in the book, including the ancillary players, are wonderfully vibrant. Betty, who redefines herself as a widow, spends much of her time watching daytime TV and falls victim to infomercials. While the divorce proceedings are in process, the Weissmann women have no expendable income, but that does not stop Betty. She buys, among other things, a portable gas fireplace, two flannel blankets with sleeves (the second is at half price, don't you know) and various gizmos that are familiar to anyone who watches daytime or late night television.
Annie, the elder daughter, is the only person with a job. Trying to keep the trio in line and on budget is like herding cats, but she considers herself to be the responsible one in the household. Her sister Miranda, a literary agent specializing in memoirs, finds herself in quite the pickle when it is revealed that her authors are frauds.
Annie, the introspective librarian, and Miranda, with her history of bad decisions, develop unconventional love interests. How they play out contributes to the quirkiness of the story.
The story moves at a reasonable pace, the characters are well developed and the dialogue is wonderful. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good, character-driven tale.
Great beach read
It is sometimes difficult to read a book after having been exposed to even the smallest information about it, the experience becomes cloudy with expectations and the brain goes on high alert for clues to signal revelations and connections. I realize it is with extreme irony that I write this (I am writing a review). However, reviews are still extremely helpful in deciding what to read amidst the millions of books the world has to offer and the short time that you have to read them. I try not to read in-depth reviews when I pick a book.
