The Woman at the Washington Zoo

I just threw a link to this book over in the sidebar.  It's a collection of writings by Marjorie Williams, a journalist who died of liver cancer about a year ago.  Her husband, Timothy Noah, a writer for Slate, put together this collection of his wife's work.  It's magnificent.  It's absolutely magnificent, on a number of different levels.  I've been poking around the book, reading a couple of pieces here and there, and have not been able to put it down.  The first section has a set of political profiles -- I've read the ones of Jeb Bush, Barbara Bush, former OMB director Dick Darman, and there are five more I haven't.  She captures people in a way that most writers simply don't.  The detail, the color, the personality of the pieces is startling.  I couldn't care less about Dick Darman.  Except now I do.  The middle section is mostly short essays on family and motherhood issues.  The standout piece, of the ones I've read, is an essay about her mother, who had died a little while earlier.  It's a masterpiece.  And the final section is about her own battle with cancer.  If you start reading her essay about her illness, you will read the entire 33 pages in one sitting, guaranteed.  This is simply a terrific collection of writing, and I'm glad I picked it up off the library shelf.

Comments

One of the things I like most about your blog (old and new) is your comments about what you're reading. I'm constantly on the lookout for new reads, and you're a reliable guide to good ones. Thanks. Norm

[alexandria]

read this over christmas and was similarly shocked... i'd avoided buying it for fear of veering into chick lit (sad state of affairs when the mention of a woman writing about her family makes me concerned), but oh, i was wrong. the political stuff's awesome (loved the barabara bush profile and the clinton/gore one, too) and the mortality musings even better. so damn smart.

[Genevieve]

Yes, her writing is just fabulous. Imagine what she'd write about our current cast of characters. And what a range she had!

I'm so glad her husband put this collection out. (I got it for Hanukkah, from my wish list).