The Middle Ages

Rating:
Summary: "IS LIFE JUST A BOWL OF CHERRIES?"
Review: I accidentally discovered Jennie Fields a few years ago when I came upon her book, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry. While I'm a sucker for any book that has a New York reference in its title, I bought it but never expected it to be as good as it was. When I sought out her other book, Lily Beach, I found out that Fields was the real thing as this book was just as good, if not better than Crossing. That was five years ago. I have patiently waited for this author to pen her next tome and was delighted when I finally saw that her latest, THE MIDDLE AGES, was scheduled to be published in July. I'm not sure if I like the title because it reminds me of a history book but the cover illustrates what every Baby Boomer has come to realize and that is that "Life is not a bowl of cherries."

Fields is already well-known for putting the reader right smack dab in her hometown of Park Slope, Brooklyn, where beautifully renovated brownstones line the streets. Many of my high school friends lived in Park Slope and their parents are still kicking themselves for not hanging on to these now pricey brownstones. Her hallmark character is always a female and always one who is happy with her momentary single existence -- until she meets a possible Mr. Right and realizes that her single and sometimes lonely life is for the birds. In this case we meet Jane Larsen, who has worked at the same architectural firm for the past eighteen years. She is a single mother of teenage twin girls so job security is important to her. In her most private moments, however, she wishes she could just ditch the job and do something she really loves -- like designing homes. A twist of fate will make this possibility a reality if she wants to take a chance.

I'm noticing lately that many authors are relying on the wonders of the computer and emails to tell their story. Fields utilizes this device when she has Jane tracking down an old college friend and lover, Jack Cashin. I don't really like this style of writing and feel it's sometimes a cop-out but Fields makes it work.

THE MIDDLE AGES is full of thoughts and commentaries we all experience when we near the upcoming 50's. I can't help but feel that much of this book might be semi-autobiographical as the author is so right on target with the main character's feelings. If I had to compare Fields to another author of today, it would probably be Elizabeth Berg. The main difference is that you have to wait so long for another Fields' book to be published while Berg seems to knock them out with great speed.

In closing I'd say that the beginning of the book was great but fizzled out a little for me towards the end. I think I was annoyed with Jane's email correspondent Jack and all the "baggage" he was carrying. I'm not sure if that was necessary to the story but you can be the judge of that. I'm just hoping I don't have to wait another five years for another book by this very talented author.

Rating:
Summary: "IS LIFE JUST A BOWL OF CHERRIES?"
Review: I accidentally discovered Jennie Fields a few years ago when I came upon her book, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry. While I'm a sucker for any book that has a New York reference in its title, I bought it but never expected it to be as good as it was. When I sought out her other book, Lily Beach, I found out that Fields was the real thing as this book was just as good, if not better than Crossing. That was five years ago. I have patiently waited for this author to pen her next tome and was delighted when I finally saw that her latest, THE MIDDLE AGES, was scheduled to be published in July. I'm not sure if I like the title because it reminds me of a history book but the cover illustrates what every Baby Boomer has come to realize and that is that "Life is not a bowl of cherries."

Fields is already well-known for putting the reader right smack dab in her hometown of Park Slope, Brooklyn, where beautifully renovated brownstones line the streets. Many of my high school friends lived in Park Slope and their parents are still kicking themselves for not hanging on to these now pricey brownstones. Her hallmark character is always a female and always one who is happy with her momentary single existence -- until she meets a possible Mr. Right and realizes that her single and sometimes lonely life is for the birds. In this case we meet Jane Larsen, who has worked at the same architectural firm for the past eighteen years. She is a single mother of teenage twin girls so job security is important to her. In her most private moments, however, she wishes she could just ditch the job and do something she really loves -- like designing homes. A twist of fate will make this possibility a reality if she wants to take a chance.

I'm noticing lately that many authors are relying on the wonders of the computer and emails to tell their story. Fields utilizes this device when she has Jane tracking down an old college friend and lover, Jack Cashin. I don't really like this style of writing and feel it's sometimes a cop-out but Fields makes it work.

THE MIDDLE AGES is full of thoughts and commentaries we all experience when we near the upcoming 50's. I can't help but feel that much of this book might be semi-autobiographical as the author is so right on target with the main character's feelings. If I had to compare Fields to another author of today, it would probably be Elizabeth Berg. The main difference is that you have to wait so long for another Fields' book to be published while Berg seems to knock them out with great speed.

In closing I'd say that the beginning of the book was great but fizzled out a little for me towards the end. I think I was annoyed with Jane's email correspondent Jack and all the "baggage" he was carrying. I'm not sure if that was necessary to the story but you can be the judge of that. I'm just hoping I don't have to wait another five years for another book by this very talented author.

Rating:
Summary: great book
Review: I loved this book - it's SO nice to have a great women's fiction choice where the main character is over 35 and not 26 and dying to get married- -and really is starting over, has real problems, hang ups,etc. Great read. well written too~

Rating:
Summary: Another Winner!
Review: If you liked Crossing Brooklyn Ferry and Lily Beach you will also like Jennie Fields' latest. It is so well written, as are all of her books, with excellent character development. You can almost become as one with the protagonist, Jane Larsen, feeling her experiences as your own. She is a fortiesh woman, with twin teen age daughters, facing life as an architect in her brave new world, alone. Torn between an old love and a new, she experiences the swings of emotions many of us have often felt. The use of emails between Jane and her old love, Jack, is cleverly incorporated into the plot, leaving you wondering where this all will lead. The story moves smoothly along, and although the ending is not decisive, you know that ultimately things will work out as you had hoped all along. This is a wonderful read and I always look forward to a new Jennie Fields book.

Rating:
Summary: Middle aged and enjoying it!
Review: It is often fun to read and book and try to figure out how the author came up with the title. In the case of The Middle Ages by Jennie Fields, this is a most appropriate title since it describes the main character's place in life.

Jane Larsen is in her middle ages or as we say middle aged. She is divorced from her husband who she remains on good terms with and is the mother of two teenage twin girls going through their own turbulent years. She is also an architect frustrated with her job. As Jane describes herself she is a dumpy woman surrounded by young and beautiful woman. And added to all of her insecure feelings is the thought that despite fix ups for dinner parties and blind date drinks, she may never meet another man who will mean something to her during her middle ages.

Then just as Jane thinks life is running at a dull speed, she is fired from her boring job. Now she can finally do what she always wanted, build homes for clients. And then Jane becomes very bold and decides to look up her college boyfriend Jack Craskin using the Internet. After all of these years Jane suddenly wants to know how his life turned out. And we as readers are along for the ride as we watch the perils and joys of being in one's middle ages.

This is a fast paced book which asks and then answers the questions, "What if I had married my old sweetheart, or at the very least, "Is love really lovelier the second time around." With a quick wit and good sense of humor, Ms. Fields does a fine job of presenting he characters. At times she is reminiscent of Jeanne Ray, author of Step - Ball Change and Susan Isaacs, author of Lily White. She is also wonderful at describing the tree lined brownstone streets of Brooklyn and the hectic working pace of Manhattan. I did enjoy this book and look forward to reading more books by Jennie Fields in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Middle aged and enjoying it!
Review: It is often fun to read and book and try to figure out how the author came up with the title. In the case of The Middle Ages by Jennie Fields, this is a most appropriate title since it describes the main character's place in life.

Jane Larsen is in her middle ages or as we say middle aged. She is divorced from her husband who she remains on good terms with and is the mother of two teenage twin girls going through their own turbulent years. She is also an architect frustrated with her job. As Jane describes herself she is a dumpy woman surrounded by young and beautiful woman. And added to all of her insecure feelings is the thought that despite fix ups for dinner parties and blind date drinks, she may never meet another man who will mean something to her during her middle ages.

Then just as Jane thinks life is running at a dull speed, she is fired from her boring job. Now she can finally do what she always wanted, build homes for clients. And then Jane becomes very bold and decides to look up her college boyfriend Jack Craskin using the Internet. After all of these years Jane suddenly wants to know how his life turned out. And we as readers are along for the ride as we watch the perils and joys of being in one's middle ages.

This is a fast paced book which asks and then answers the questions, "What if I had married my old sweetheart, or at the very least, "Is love really lovelier the second time around." With a quick wit and good sense of humor, Ms. Fields does a fine job of presenting he characters. At times she is reminiscent of Jeanne Ray, author of Step - Ball Change and Susan Isaacs, author of Lily White. She is also wonderful at describing the tree lined brownstone streets of Brooklyn and the hectic working pace of Manhattan. I did enjoy this book and look forward to reading more books by Jennie Fields in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Fields Does It Again !!!
Review: It is rare that an author "hooks" me with three novels in a row, but that is just what Fields has done with "The Middle Ages", "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry", and "Lily Beach".

Jane Larsen is "Everywoman": middle-aged and, in her opinion, dumpy. She is raising twin teenaged daughters alone, but with the help of her very cooperative ex-husband. Jane has worked as an architect for a New York City firm for 18 years, where she designs mostly everything except what she wants to design: homes.

Suddenly her work life changes in a way she might have chosen had she had the energy and gumption to do so. Off on her own, Jane is hired to design a house, but her client seems to have romance in mind as well. She has little interest - her life just has not included thoughts of having a man in it.

Then Jane decides to contact her first love, Jack Cashin, the man who inspired her to become an architect, and whom she has not seen for 30 years. An e-mail correspondence ensues and Jane's life changes even more.

The book has no "pat" ending but leaves the reader hopeful....and wondering. Fields conveys a good, positive message about taking charge of one's life and making the most of opportunities that arise.

A delight to read.

Rating:
Summary: great book
Review: Jennie Fields, author of the wonderful "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," has scored again with her touching novel, "The Middle Ages." Jane Larson is a forty-six year old architect, living in New York City with her rambunctious fifteen-year old twin daughters. She is a divorced single mom who is bored with her routine job, which consists mostly of designing banks and assisted living facilities. She longs to go out on her own and create beautiful houses, but she lacks the courage to try something new after eighteen years with the same firm.

Although she is still attractive, Jane is no longer the lithe beauty that she was in her twenties. She huffs and puffs going up staircases, and the days when she attracted wolf whistles are a distant memory. She dates infrequently and has little expectation of meeting a wonderful man at her age.

Jane's life is shaken up when her job situation suddenly changes drastically. Her personal life also takes an interesting turn, when she decides to e-mail her old college flame, Jack, supposedly to catch up on old times. Suddenly, the old feelings are rekindled, even though Jack is living far away, in Nashville, Tennessee.

With gentle humor and compassion that is rare in novels these days, Fields explores the territory of the "middle ages," which is often marked by fear, insecurity, loss and pain. Jack and Jane have both been battered by life. Are they ready to plunge into a risky relationship that could potentially bring them more heartache? Should middle-aged people have the confidence to try new things when the very thought of change is so terrifying? Fields's straightforward style is heartfelt and honest, and she writes as if she understands the territory of middle age very well from personal experience. A few overly sentimental touches here and there do little to detract from this warm novel about real people hoping for a second chance at happiness.

Rating:
Summary: A refreshing look at life, love and starting over.
Review: Jennie Fields, author of the wonderful "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," has scored again with her touching novel, "The Middle Ages." Jane Larson is a forty-six year old architect, living in New York City with her rambunctious fifteen-year old twin daughters. She is a divorced single mom who is bored with her routine job, which consists mostly of designing banks and assisted living facilities. She longs to go out on her own and create beautiful houses, but she lacks the courage to try something new after eighteen years with the same firm.

Although she is still attractive, Jane is no longer the lithe beauty that she was in her twenties. She huffs and puffs going up staircases, and the days when she attracted wolf whistles are a distant memory. She dates infrequently and has little expectation of meeting a wonderful man at her age.

Jane's life is shaken up when her job situation suddenly changes drastically. Her personal life also takes an interesting turn, when she decides to e-mail her old college flame, Jack, supposedly to catch up on old times. Suddenly, the old feelings are rekindled, even though Jack is living far away, in Nashville, Tennessee.

With gentle humor and compassion that is rare in novels these days, Fields explores the territory of the "middle ages," which is often marked by fear, insecurity, loss and pain. Jack and Jane have both been battered by life. Are they ready to plunge into a risky relationship that could potentially bring them more heartache? Should middle-aged people have the confidence to try new things when the very thought of change is so terrifying? Fields's straightforward style is heartfelt and honest, and she writes as if she understands the territory of middle age very well from personal experience. A few overly sentimental touches here and there do little to detract from this warm novel about real people hoping for a second chance at happiness.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad
Review: Overall I liked this novel, and what it represents to women 'of a certain age' as the phrase goes. Second chances, trusting in yourself despite the odds and what experience has taught. Sometimes it ran a little sappy for my taste, though, especially in the e-mails between Jane and Jack. A quick but decent read.