by Anne Tyler, 1988, won the Pulitzer Prize
One day in the life of Ira and Maggie Moran, driving to the funeral of her best friend’s husband. We learn the life story of Ira and Maggie; 2 children, Jesse and Daisy. Daisy is a genius and going off to college. Jesse is a singer in a rock band, dropped out of H.S., marries Fiona and they have a daughter, “Leroy.” Yes, a daughter. They are divorced but Maggie is sure they still love each other. She so wants them to get back together. She loves Fiona and Leroy. She helped Fiona all through pregnancy and birth. She helped while Leroy was a baby, living with them, until a big fight and Fiona and Leroy moved back to her mom’s in Cartwheel, PA. Maggie is a loving soul who takes care of old people in a nursing home. She can give and give to others with so much love. She is warm, open, caring, funny, goofy, and she can’t drive. Ira loves her dearly, understands her. He gave up med school to take over his dad’s picture framing business, and takes care of his Dad (“weak heart”) and his 2 sisters, one retarded, one agoraphobic. He doesn’t say much, he whistles tunes, and plays solitaire, and is there for Maggie. He tells the truth, unfortunately, when Maggie has told little exaggerations in hopes that Jesse and Fiona, and Leroy, will get back together.
Favorite part – when she and Ira get in an argument on the way to the funeral and she tells him to stop and let her out. He does. She walks back to the little town and is deciding on something in the store. He answers her:
“She picked up a box of Fig Newtons and read the nutrition label on the back. “Sixty calories each,” she said out loud, and Ira said, “Ah, go ahead and splurge.” “Stop undermining my diet,” she told him. She replaced the box on the shelf, not turning.
“Hey, babe,” he said, “care to accompany me to a funeral?”
“She shrugged and didn’t answer, but when he hung an arm around her shoulders she let him lead her out to the car.”
Interesting book. I wish Fiona and Jesse would have gotten back together. It was looking so hopeful.
I think Accidental Tourist was better, though. Maggie is the most warm and accepting and LOVING person, though.