Books - The Other Boleyn Girl & Wicked

I grew up in a family where the women catered endlessly to the men. Not out of respect, mind you, nor even affection. No, their wooing and appeasement of the various husbands, fathers, uncles, and brothers in their orbit was a much more political endeavor. Like courtiers in the service of a childish and truculent king, they fawned and flattered the man in question, soothing his temper and his ego for the sake of a little peace and quiet. As a child I was struck by how effortlessly my aunts and grandmothers slid from gossiping about what a pain in the ass so-and-so was, to showering the man himself with compliments and praise the instant he materialized in the kitchen. My mother wasn’t very good at this game, mostly because she resented having to play it. And after all, as any good courtier knows, even the sweetest words fall flat if the delivery doesn’t convince. Not surprisingly, I take after my mom.

I hadn’t thought about the kitchen table gender diplomacy of my female relatives for a long time. Then I read Phillipa Gregory’s novel The Other Boleyn Girl. If you haven’t read it or seen the movie, (critically panned, stars Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johannsson) it tells the story of Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn, the ill-fated second wife of Henry VIII. Married at 12 to a nobleman, pushed into an affair with the king by her scheming, socially ambitious family, Mary was schooled in the arts of flattery and seduction from earliest childhood. It’s a terrific book, by the way – the literary version of a juicy beach read. The similarities between the powerless women in King Henry’s court, and the powerless women in my grandmother’s kitchen were staggering. In both places, youth and beauty were prized commodities and if played properly, tickets to security. In both places, every effort was directed toward the continual comfort and amusement of the monarch, regardless of how exhausting or irrational that effort might be. Like the king, the men in my family saw such service and coddling as a birthright. And like the Boleyn sisters, I think the women in my family viewed their own financial dependency as a fact of birth, too. After all, as my grandmother once pointed out, there’s no point arguing with the world. All you can do is use what you’ve got to get what you need. 

Another book I read recently that I just loved is Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. It’s the novel that the very different (and utterly fabulous in its own right) Broadway musical of the same name is based upon. Wicked is the story of how the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz became the legendary bad girl on a broom. She wasn’t always a witch. Her name was Elphaba. She was a strange child, frightening to her parents, both of whom were too distracted - her mother by boredom and disappointment, her father by religious mania – to properly care for any child, much less one who bit, and resisted their embraces, and who was such an awfully vivid and unnatural shade of green.  From these difficult beginnings the seeds of wickedness are sown, right? Perhaps, or perhaps not. It’s an easy conclusion to jump to, but Elphaba’s story is far more complicated. And, I so want you to read the book that I won’t give away any more details, or spoil any of the wonderful surprises in Maguire’s rich, imaginative story. But I can’t resist quoting my favorite sentence in the whole book:

“Or is it just that the world unwraps itself to you, again and again, as soon as you are ready to see it anew?”

Boy, is that ever the truth.

Comments

[Shelly Primm]

Glad to see you are blogging again!

Have a great weekend!

[Laura]

I also added Jasper Fforde to my list that you mentioned a few weeks ago. Currently I am reading Peter Lynch, Harry Potter (I am watching all the books and all the movies), Greatest Generation, and Patrica Cornwell. I am interested in reading some of the Scott Westerfeld books that are so popular with the kids I teach. It's about a choice to be beautiful. Besides the Soprano book, what other cooking books would you suggest, please?

[Lynn Dulcie]

If you're looking for a good read, try Jodi Piccoult's books. "Nineteen Minutes" is my favorite so far, altho "My Sister's Keeper" and "Plain (something)" are great, too. 19 Minutes is about a shooting in a school, but it traces the how and whys of the boy from childhood. Bullying and a good, but distracted, family life. I teach junior high and had to lock my door for a few days after reading it.

[callie]

Also read The Secret Between Us(Jodi Picoult)about a mother who takes the blame for her 16 year old daughter when she hits and kills her teacher on a stormy night and all the problems this causes in her family and town.

[shlynch]

re; cookbooks

if you're a beginner, any rachael ray book is a good start because her recipes are very straightforward. if you want to learn technique and principles as you go, i love cook's illustrated - the magazines, the books, the pbs show - you name it. and for italian food, i'm a big fan of a massive book called the silver spoon. it's like the bible of italian cuisine.

[Laura]

Ironically, I bought the 30-Minute Get Real Book by Rachel Ray from a yard sale yesterday for $1.50! I have been having fun with Campbells Casseroles One-Dish and Favorite Made Simple Chicken.

[Laura]

From the Campbells book there is a Ratatouille dish. It was so good! 1 can tomato soup, 1 T olive oil, 1/8 t pepper, 1 eggplant, 1 zucchini, 1 red pepper, 1 onion (I have been using frozen - easier), garlic: cook 5 hours on low in slow cooker.

[John]

Good to see you blogging again. It's been a while, you must have been busy elsewhere. Well, welcome back, this is where you belong...

[Claire]

I also just loved "The Other Bolyn Girl" and have just finished "The Bolyn Inheritance" which follows King Henry's other wives. Also really good- I have been on a historical fiction kick latley- anyone know of a good book about Marie Antionette? She is a another strong women from history who is often portrayed wrongly. Wicked is also on my to read list, glad you gave it such a terrific review.

[Jessica]

Thanks for bringing attention to two great books! I LOVED the book "The Other Boleyn Girl", but was disappointed in the movie, having gone to see it just days after finishing the book. They left out and changed a LOT.
I was also very excited to see that you had written about Wicked - I was a fan of the book, and was lucky enough to see the play last year on Broadway. It was amazing! The soundtrack is one of my favorites.

[Kim]

I really do you want you to read the Twilight Series so you can fall in love with Stephenie Meyer's books. You will enjoy them and can join the Twilight Nation out there.

[Nicole F.]

hey, sheri, just want to say, big fan of your show with bob, listen to it almost every morning before i catch my bus at 7 am. maybe you read Stephen King books or make bob read some comedy. i got a question: did u went to ur high school prom alone?

[Cynthia]

Great to read the blog again. I've heard you mention Annie Proulx on the show, and her collection of short stories in 'Close Range' is also a good read. She also has a short story in a recent New Yorker that was quite memorable for me.
Margaret Atwood's another good writer; it's old, but her "Wilderness Tips" short story collection is quite good.

[ALICE ANITA]

Hey Sheri,
I have read Wicked a few years back and that book is wonderful!! I am so glad that someone other than myself can find the story enjoyable and not just act as if it is a horrible read without picking it up. I am glad that you talked of the movie as well as the book "The Other Boleyn Girl"
I was wondering if the movie was any good, I have lately been into the Showtime series "The Tudors" which focus on King Henry VIII, but Anne Boleyn has a pretty decent part in the series, and as a surprise showtime is actually following the timeline as if they were attempting to tell history.. LOL.. Anyway Sheri I just wanted to let you know "as usual" I am a BIG FAN of yours as well as Bobs.. I have been listening to you guys since I was 19 and I am now 28. The highlight of my life was when you all got the website.. But I want to say THANKS to you most of all.. You made not being the typical "Woman" an okay thing.. You let women everywhere know that you can be yourself in a relationship, you may not know it but you and your stories have helped me through a lot of hard times.. I don't know you but I have so much love and respect for you I needed you to know.. Thanks for being who you are Sheri..
God bless you,Mark, and the children...

[Erin M.]

You should try reading "A History of Love." It's an incredible book. Wicked was a great book, many people can't "get into it" immediately and put it down, but it is an incredible book. Thanks for blogging again, it has been a long time since you wrote! Write again sooner!

[Amanda @ Shamelessly Sassy]

Hi Sheri! It's great to see you blogging again. I loved 'The Ohter Boleyn Girl'. 'The Boleyn Inheritance' is pretty good also.

[Donvon]

Hi Sheri,
My mother is 73 years old I just still cannot break her of fixing her companion's plate! It drives me nuts that she won't fix her plate or eat until he has been served. I grew up in the same sort of twisted society you did - men are kings, regardless, and women are here simply to serve them, period. Thank God I broke the mold. On a side note - tell Bob you are not a "broad" but a "dame"... Think of Katherine Hepburn. I know, because I am one too. Love the show, I'm not right without my daily fix.

[Sandijud]

Hi Sheri,

I read Wicked just about a year ago and found in a fascinating story! You've got to read the second novel "Son of a Witch"....it's a wonderful completion of the story!

[Angela]

I LOVED the book Wicked! It follows the mantra of my life, which I always try to teach my children -- that everything is not always as it seems, and that you often shouldn't things at face value. This is a great message, especially today in the world of biased and sometimes blatantly untrue journalism (this isn't pointed at you, Sheri, just a general statement!).

...Plus, the book's a good read, too! :)

[Bob]

Sheri,

Have no comment about these books, nor did I read them. Recently read Kite Runner, which was a little depressing and may make me never want to read again. That's neither here nor there though.

Just wanted to let you know you're hot and that you have a great voice every man loves to wake up to.

[rod]

Sheri,

If you haven't already, You have to read "Son of the Witch", which is the sequel to "Wicked". I loved both of these. They were just like Harry Potter, I could not put them down.

[Wendy]

Sheri- OMG- I loved the Other Boleyn Girl (hopefully you read it before you saw the movie-- the book's so much better!) and all of the other Tudor-related Philippa Gregory books. It's opened up a whole new interest in Tudor history for me. I'm currently reading the Six Wives of Henry VIII, and Oh, my... having to fawn over Henry VIII would have taken some serious skill- but like you, I don't have those skills... also loved "Wicked"! But it's SOOO different from the Musical, don't you think?

[Charlotte]

Sheri, I just finished The Other Boleyn Girl and LOVED it!! I could not put it down. Per other posts here, I'm going to get The Bolyn Inheritance. I knew very little about two these sisters before I read the book. WOW! What a great read! I also read Wicked and agree with someone above that it was a little slow in the beginning but really liked it as I kept reading and finished. It's a different book but enjoyable! Thanks for the suggestions!! I hope you will continue to do a blog every so often on the things you've read. It also gets others to post their "finds" as I'm always looking for something good to read. Keep them coming!!

[megan]

2 great books! Another irresistible trilogy is The Mayfair Chronicles by Anne Rice. It's excellent with lots of history, religion, sex and creepiness - perfect for summertime!

[Melissa]

I loved Wicked as well, you should take a look at some of his other books, like "Son of a Witch" which is the sequel, or "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" - I just started this one! or "Lust" which ties to "A Christmas Carol"