tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post4469100647891378481..comments2024-03-28T16:10:19.842-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: On A Fortunate Age - homage to The GroupJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15039840519657052842009-11-11T12:41:28.099-05:002009-11-11T12:41:28.099-05:00Well, huh. I haven't read either "The Gro...Well, huh. I haven't read either "The Group" or "A Fortunate Age," however, the description and comparison of the two books is fascinating. Also very much appreciated the peek into the author's creative process. Looks like I'm going to be buying two more books! Yay!JM Reinboldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04193395612381968924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-43914355651126689342009-11-11T10:53:11.742-05:002009-11-11T10:53:11.742-05:00I read THE GROUP much later (Peyton Place was the ...I read THE GROUP much later (Peyton Place was the book we traded around for the dirty parts). What I remember is the way it takes on female stereotypes -- yet McCarthy refused to be categorized as a feminist. I think the fact that A FORTUNATE AGE has male AND female friends is just one indication of how much things have changed.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-6746705249588436772009-11-11T10:36:53.670-05:002009-11-11T10:36:53.670-05:00Roberta, thank you for having me! You know, for ye...Roberta, thank you for having me! You know, for years now, I've been saying to friends, "You MUST read The Group" And while many come back to me and say, "I loved it!" Many say, "I couldn't get past the second chapter." So, in other words, they, like you, were put off by the sex-heavy second chapter. Which I completely understand.Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02676832372632559756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-38228650146820298022009-11-11T10:35:16.477-05:002009-11-11T10:35:16.477-05:00Hank, yes, the diaphragm! That she leaves in the p...Hank, yes, the diaphragm! That she leaves in the park! Poor Dottie.<br /><br />Have you read Rona Jaffe's The Best of Everything, by the way? Some similarly distressing episodes in it.Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02676832372632559756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-41270344012717621772009-11-11T10:33:20.353-05:002009-11-11T10:33:20.353-05:00Ramona, thank you! It was indeed hard work, but so...Ramona, thank you! It was indeed hard work, but so, so pleasurable. I'm just starting my second novel and it's such a pleasure to return to that sort of task (after seven months of writing shorter pieces and endless publicity stuff).Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02676832372632559756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-20496578889974578392009-11-11T10:32:01.940-05:002009-11-11T10:32:01.940-05:00Okay, Rosemary, now I'm *very* curious about w...Okay, Rosemary, now I'm *very* curious about who your stepson is! (And his wife!)Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02676832372632559756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-82572804754432939662009-11-11T10:31:29.536-05:002009-11-11T10:31:29.536-05:00Sheila, oh my goodness, a fake cover! That makes m...Sheila, oh my goodness, a fake cover! That makes me think of something I'd completely forgotten about: When I was in fifth grade--so, maybe ten years old--everyone was secretly passing around Judy Blume's novel "Forever," because of the dirty parts! I remember one of my naughtier friends reading those sections aloud during free study and being so, so embarrassed.<br /><br />Anyway, that's a great question -- have women's friendships changed in the last thirty years. I don't know the answer to it, but I do wonder if portrayals of women in mainstream media -- television shows like "Gossip Girl" and so on -- have led to cattier or more competitive relationships between young women. Then again, it doesn't get much cattier than McCarthy! I also wonder, though, how the nature of friendship, in general, is changing in our current age, with the advent of social networking sites, that allow the illusion of intimacy without actual personal interaction. It's a bit distressing to me. My friends and I never seem to pick up the phone anymore...Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02676832372632559756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-83211139807118323362009-11-11T10:09:04.030-05:002009-11-11T10:09:04.030-05:00Hi Joanna, thanks for visiting "our" gro...Hi Joanna, thanks for visiting "our" group at JRW. I was in Junior High when the Group was being passed around. Embarrassingly enough, I took no great message from it as Sheila and Hank (and Joanna) obviously did! I will have to read it again before picking up your book (and maybe avoid getting distracted by the sex...)Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-35925722624988561472009-11-11T10:06:06.841-05:002009-11-11T10:06:06.841-05:00I was haunted by The Group. Haunted. I read it--oh...I was haunted by The Group. Haunted. I read it--oh gosh, many times. Many many times. And I still think about it. Lakey. And the diaphragm. All of it. <br /><br />Thank you so much for the wonderful and thoughtful interview...I'm so eager to read your book!Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-37999945057146920932009-11-11T09:13:00.428-05:002009-11-11T09:13:00.428-05:00I have not yet read A Fortunate Age, but after thi...I have not yet read A Fortunate Age, but after this post, I plan to buy and read it, pronto.<br /><br />Your description of the careful thought and hard work put into shaping the story into its best form is very impressive.Ramonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00627775403015684868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-14319585128367582192009-11-11T08:35:51.201-05:002009-11-11T08:35:51.201-05:00Well, I've got to read A Fortunate Age because...Well, I've got to read A Fortunate Age because my stepson and his wife both went to Oberlin and then moved to Williamsburg - probably at the same time as Joanna.Just hope he isn't one of the bad guys...Rosemary Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08033747422699443024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-87233189510811967722009-11-11T07:57:50.623-05:002009-11-11T07:57:50.623-05:00The Group was passed hand to hand at my high schoo...The Group was passed hand to hand at my high school with a fake cover, because of the so-called dirty parts. But I took the story to heart and ended up going to a women's college to recapture the experience of a close-knit group of friends--and was not disappointed. I'm still in touch with several of those college friends.<br /><br />I will definitely look forward to reading A Fortunate Age. I wonder, do you think friendship among women has changed since McCarthy wrote her book?Sheila Connollyhttp://www.sheilaconnolly.comnoreply@blogger.com