Three Stages Of Amazement (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
THIS story 'starts' around the time of Obama's Inauguration... "HOPE & CHANGE"!! American's are CRAZY! Money lost to Bernie Madoff, etc.Carol Edgarian's story takes place 'mostly' in San Francisco & Silicon Valley. Fun reading for me, because I live her also! I also think the author was 'spot-on' with much of what she wrote. (not sure its tons to be proud of --but life is complex-messy-and frickin depressing at times).Lena & Charlie, (married, in their 40's), are STRESSED ---They are BOTH BRIGHT.Charlie is a Physician. At the beginning of the story, he is flying from Boston to S.F. often --(almost never home) --looking for investors for his new Start-up idea: A surgical Robot he names "Nimbus".Charlie later finds his investor: (a problem in itself), then is working in Palo Alto as much as he was in Boston.A typical modern marriage: Bright-educated couple thinks their love can be enough to hold them together while they work, work, work, and never really have time for each other. Lena is trying to hold onto her job ---while taking care of their sick preemie named Willa, ( AND deal with the grief of having lost their other preemie at birth), plus raise their other 5 year old, bright, curious, creative, son Theo. Lena misses her husband. He is always WORKING. She is also quietly depressed. (she has no time for lunch dates with girlfriends, volunteer work at school events, etc.)Life is going on --The GREAT RECESSION is real...CRAZY TIMESCal Rusch (Lena's Uncle), and Ivy are in their 80's. They throw "The Party of the Year" for their daughter's engagement. A Million Dollar Party during the recession! Cal tried to encourage his wife Ivy to 'cut-down' on a little spending. (didn't look like she did very much).Cal Rusch, (the hated uncle of Lena, investor of Charlies Surgical Robot), is also fighting to keep funding going. (even the wealthy are struggling a little). Alessandro was Lena's first love. The wealthy Italian -HOT SEXY -MALE LOVER...(Oh yes, of course he comes back for a visit while Lena is STRESSED caring for children --missing a HOT SEXY life with HER husband --missing feeling sexy herself---missing authentic feelings of love and intimacy). Of COURSE we need to have a HOT temptation of *Alessandro* in "The Three Stages of Amazement".There was a line in the book: "There Must be something heroic about getting through the day with a bit of grace".... ya think? lolOh....I MUST share a page of this book...(a cliche about woman which I'm not sure I'm proud about) ---yet---I think the author got it RIGHT. Judge for yourself.On page 83: "If society was divided into women who talked of cocks and those who didn't, Ivy's friends talked. They smoked and told dirty jokes and hardly ate and had their faces lifted and their tummies tucked and otherwise it was on their skinny no-nonsense backs that the soft belly of society rested: not just running of the opera or the arts, but the public library, the humane society, the free clinics, and the abused women's shelters. The woman discussed Bill Clinton's penis until they were bored, then with a wave of their jeweled hands, they turned their attention to the plans for Sally's new guesthouse in St. Helena. I'm sure many people can find things to 'pick-on' about this story ---(I could also)... as the author 'assumed' a few 'cliches'....(but was she wrong???) ---I'm not sure! A few of her 'cliches' made me STOP and PAUSE..."I am a Man"??? hm??? (not sure who talks like that today) ---but maybe....Yet--I enjoyed this story! It was engaging: Domestic life with limitations-(as it always is), set during the end of the dot-com craze. A book worth reading!I'd love to see what book this author might write next? Where ARE 'we' going next???I think this author intuitively understands real people -real lives - and real problems. I'd like to read what she comes up with! Actually abandoned is more like it. I'm really to glad to say I did not invest any more minutes in this book than I did, I only wish I had stopped treading sooner. My husband asked me what the book was about and I replied "nothing". I got about 90 pages in and it didn't go anywhere. I know that writing is very hard to do; what really surprised me about this book is that it came highly regarded and recommended by a prominent book critic. I couldn't get anywhere with it. Really good to read before bedtime if you are looking for a sleeping aid.
What do You think about Three Stages Of Amazement (2011)?
I didn't get too far in before abandoning this book. Didn't care for the author's style of writing.
—kel
Eh it was an ok book. I Obama references drove me absolutely nuts though
—Lexirach
3.5 starsSometimes engrossing but a bit pretentious and unrealistic.
—Njeandi
