The Middlesteins

Many thanks for my copy. However it was not a book that I enjoyed and cannot recommend it. A great shame as I have enjoyed all the other free book that I have had,please keep them coming!

thankyou for the State of Wonder which I really have enjoyed and has been passed on twice. I have had a copy of The Middlesteins which I have started but can't seem to get on with.. I have since put it down and will try again in the next few days...My daughter in law in Canada is really looking forward to reading it so I shall have to try to finish it...thankyou so much for the books they are a lovely treat. Where do you get your ideas from for the story?

Struggling a little bit getting to grips with this book - have read two others book since receiving this one which hold my attention rather than this one- back to it now to see if i can actually finish it

I had trouble getting interested in "The Middlesteins" I'm afraid, perhaps because there are currently so many TV programmes about obesity. Not sure what this book was trying to say.

Thank you for my copy of The Middlesteins, I have just finished reading it today. Will it put me off my chocolate eggs? No of course not because I'm following the Intermittent Fast diet! A very good read with plenty to think about. Not quite sure what it if anything it was trying to say apart from family relationships can be very complicated.

Hi, Looks like I missed out on The Middlesteins.

How do Gransnet review books and how are they chosen?
HAPPY EASTER to everyone.

Loved the book and felt the characters were well defined. The Jewish humour and tragedy were portrayed so well . Would like to ask the author if this book reflects any of her own experiences of Judaism?

Thank you Gransnet for my copy of the Middlesteins. Thank you Jami Attenberg for making me take a long look at the relationship we have with food and for making me curious to find out more about the Jewish culture and festivals. I went online to research things I read about in the book but didn't know so for me the book was educational as well as entertaining.

Thank you for my copy. Would like to know how long it took to write

I enjoyed this book. It is a combination of sadness and humour. I would like to know if Jami based some of the characters on people she has met?

Have only just started reading book and am not sure whether I'm enjoying it or not!
My question is : Where do the ideas for the characters come from? Are they people you know in real-life and have used their traits and characteristics as the basis for your book?

Thanks to Gransnet for book. Not something I'd have bought myself,but good to read another genre.

I received a copy of the book and finished it last night. I enjoyed it because the subject matter was so different. Where did you get your inspiration to write about an obese woman?

that should have read "Beverley"!

I really enjoyed this book. At the beginning, and most of the way through, I felt angry towards Richard. I thought he was a rat deserting a sinking ship. But towards the end I came to like him and understand him. He was only human and he needed to get away and live the rest of his life. And he never really stopped caring about Edie completely.

I had no sympathy at all with Robin. She should have helped her mother much more than she did. She should not have gone away and never visited! Rachelle was a little bit mad, but she tried hard and she did a good job. I agree with Richard that Prozac would have helped her! Benny was just Benny. A typical man. Loved his mother, but was a bit ineffectual.

Poor Edie. She started with an unfortunate gene pool, and she just needed food. It was very sad that she didn't get any time with Kenneth. They would have been so good together.

My question is, which of the characters did you sympathise most with. Did you feel more on Edie's side, or Richard's? (I'm glad Richard found Berley)

While I was reading this I kept wondering what was the point of it. It was only when I'd finished that I realised it was more a look at life and its varied but fairly ordinary characters. We probably could all recognise at least one person in the book from those we know. Can I ask Ms Attenberg if that was her intention or have I totally missed the point?
Spoiler alert: I was disappointed to discover at just over a third of the way through that Edie dies in the end. Why did you do that at that moment in the story?
Not the sort of book I would normally look at but would be interested to read more of Ms Attenberg's work. An enjoyable and satisfying read. Thanks to Gransnet for my copy.

Thank you very much for the book which I enjoyed although I didn't find the characters very likeable. I would ask Jami whether she had the storyline mapped out in her mind before she started writing or whether the plot evolved and, in effect, took on a life of its own as she was writing.

HI Jami, what are you writing about now? Is it another novel about family? The Middlesteins has done well, I think - does that put pressure on you from publishers and readers to do something similar? Thanks

I would like to ask Jami whether she trained to be a writer - did she take creative writing classes? They have become very popular in the US I think - although in my young day (listen to me!) we would have thought writing couldn't be taught. What's her view?

In my experience, after continual knock backs, the family give up. You cannot help any addict who does not want to be helped.

I was interested in why Edie's family didn't want to help. You don't seem to suggest that she'd been a bad wife and mother. Benny's response was to turn away, a bit like his father, and Robin was resentful. Do you think this is what addiction does to people? (In my experience, family members are desperate to do anything that will rescue the addict).

Thanks - very enjoyable read.

I haven't finished the book yet, but I am loving it and I know this is the last day to comment. I have found The Middlesteins to be a very insightful book - Jami Attenberg has made me think about how we all have have our 'thing' that we use to help us to cope with what life deals us. In the book Edie obviously uses food, Richard uses 'dating', Robin uses alcohol, Benny uses drugs and Rachelle is a control freak. We all have our 'thing', it's just that for those who use food as a coping mechanism, it's for all to see as you put on weight. It's a lot easier to hide gambling or shopping. Quick question - why Chicago and not New York?

Hi, Sorry I've been away for a while. Things have become hectic since
I had my debut novel Shadow Across the Liffey published.

I've been lucky in winning two books from Gransnet and hope to be lucky
again soon. Sad to have missed Judy Finnigan and other good guests.

I'll call in again soon.

Do you plot first? I liked the way you went backwards and forwards in time. I imagine you need to know exactly where you are going to do that?

I loved the character of Kenneth! And his food was obviously delicious. But he was quite enigmatic. Why did he love Edie so much when she was so infuriating?

OMG! Will abandon everything and finish it.

#didnttakemuchpersuading