Comments on: Reading This Week – Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? – Jeanette Winterson

By: Janine

Janine — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 11:00:20 +0000

In reply to Madoqua.

I think she had probably dealt with the pain before she started the book. There is a great interview with her on Iview at the moment –
Jennifer Byrne Presents Episode 7 Jeanette Winterson
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/program/24695
Probably only available in Australia though.
It will be up there for 25 days.

By: Madoqua

Madoqua — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 08:57:16 +0000

Wow. This sounds like a very powerful book. I wonder did writing it help her to deal with the pain? She must be an incredible person.

By: Janine

Janine — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 22:10:18 +0000

In reply to nmsullivan0909. I love that you have such a happy life. You are such an amazing woman. I can see you working hard at making open adoption into a beautiful thing for everybody involved. I really enjoyed this book, I read it for my once-a-month-gig on the ABC Book Club at our local radio station. Others in the club struggled a bit with how sad it was, however, myself and librarian Chris felt it was a story of incredible triumph and she did go on to create a happy life for herself. It's probably been my favourite read for the year so far. There is some quietly ironic humour in it, particularly in her descriptions of her mother.

By: nmsullivan0909

nmsullivan0909 — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:51:27 +0000

I don’t know how you could read it, much less how she could live through it – except of course that she had no choice in the matter. She chose such an amazing reading goal! Self-education. No wonder she became a writer. I’m happy she found her voice, and yet my heart breaks for the little child she was.

My children are adopted, and we have such a happy life. And we visit with their birth families. Open adoption is a lovely thing. Happy weekend!