The odd woman and the city : a memoir

\*\*A contentious, deeply moving ode to friendship, love, and urban life in the spirit of **__\*\*Fierce Attachments__** A memoir of self-discovery and the dilemma of connection in our time, __The Odd Woman and the City__ explores the rhythms, chance encounters, and ever-changing friendships of urban life that forge the sensibility of a fiercely independent woman who has lived out her conflicts, not her fantasies, in a city (New York) that has done the same. Running steadily through the book is Vivian Gornick's exchange of more than twenty years with Leonard, a gay man who is sophisticated about his own unhappiness, whose friendship has "shed more light on the mysterious nature of ordinary human relations than has any other intimacy" she has known. The exchange between Gornick and Leonard acts as a Greek chorus to the main action of the narrator's continual engagement on the street with grocers, derelicts, and doormen; people on the bus, cross-dressers on the corner, and acquaintances by the handful. In Leonard she sees herself reflected plain; out on the street she makes sense of what she sees.Written as a narrative collage that includes meditative pieces on the making of a modern feminist, the role of the __flaneur__ in urban literature, and the evolution of friendship over the past two centuries, __The Odd Woman and the City__ beautifully bookends Gornick's acclaimed __Fierce Attachments__, in which we first encountered her rich relationship with the ultimate metropolis. Review"[F]unny and elegiac and truth-dealing. . . . It's a slim book with big echoes. . . . What puts __The Odd Woman and the City__ across, however, is how deeply Ms. Gornick gets into the fat of feeling. She is as good a writer about friendship as we have." (Dwight Garner __The New York Times__) "[An] elusive and stirring memoir" (David Ulin __Los Angeles Times__) "Gornick's most ambitious attempt yet at the nonromance plot . . . richly felt." (Laura Marsh __The New Republic__) "In an age of often pointless confessional writing, Gornick remains a master of purposeful personal narrative." (Isabella Biedenharn __Entertainment Weekly__) One of the most vital and indispensable essayists of our cultural moment. (__Phillip Lopate__) Reading [Gornick] is a thrilling, invigorating, challenging experience. (Barbara Fisher __The Boston Sunday Globe__) About the AuthorVivian Gornick is the bestselling author of the acclaimed memoir __Fierce Attachments__, a biography of Emma Goldman, and three essay collections: __The Men in My Life__, __Approaching Eye Level__, and __The End of the Novel of Love__, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Formats : EPUB,MOBI A finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, Autobiography A contentious, deeply moving ode to friendship, love, and urban life in the spirit of Fierce Attachments A memoir of self-discovery and the dilemma of connection in our time, The Odd Woman and the City explores the rhythms, chance encounters, and ever-changing friendships of urban life that forge the sensibility of a fiercely independent woman who has lived out her conflicts, not her fantasies, in a city (New York) that has done the same. Running steadily through the book is Vivian Gornick's exchange of more than twenty years with Leonard, a gay man who is sophisticated about his own unhappiness, whose friendship has "shed more light on the mysterious nature of ordinary human relations than has any other intimacy" she has known. The exchange between Gornick and Leonard acts as a Greek chorus to the main action of the narrator's continual engagement on the street with grocers, derelicts, and doormen; people on the bus, cross-dressers on the corner, and acquaintances by the handful. In Leonard she sees herself reflected plain; out on the street she makes sense of what she sees. Written as a narrative collage that includes meditative pieces on the making of a modern feminist, the role of the flaneur in urban literature, and the evolution of friendship over the past two centuries, The Odd Woman and the City beautifully bookends Gornick's acclaimed Fierce Attachments , in which we first encountered her rich relationship with the ultimate metropolis.

A contentious, deeply moving ode to friendship, love, and urban life in the spirit of Fierce Attachments

A memoir of self-discovery and the dilemma of connection in our time, The Odd Woman and the City explores the rhythms, chance encounters, and ever-changing friendships of urban life that forge the sensibility of a fiercely independent woman who has lived out her conflicts, not her fantasies, in a city (New York) that has done the same. Running steadily through the book is Vivian Gornick's exchange of more than twenty years with Leonard, a gay man who is sophisticated about his own unhappiness, whose friendship has "shed more light on the mysterious nature of ordinary human relations than has any other intimacy" she has known. The exchange between Gornick and Leonard acts as a Greek chorus to the main action of the narrator's continual engagement on the street with grocers, derelicts, and doormen; people on the bus, cross-dressers on the corner, and acquaintances by the handful. In Leonard she sees herself reflected plain; out on the street she makes sense of what she sees.
Written as a narrative collage that includes meditative pieces on the making of a modern feminist, the role of the flaneur in urban literature, and the evolution of friendship over the past two centuries, The Odd Woman and the City beautifully bookends Gornick's acclaimed Fierce Attachments, in which we first encountered her rich relationship with the ultimate metropolis.

"A contentious, deeply moving ode to friendship, love, and urban life in the spirit of Fierce Attachments A memoir of self-discovery and the dilemma of connection in our time, The Odd Woman and the City explores the rhythms, chance encounters, and ever-changing friendships of urban life that forge the sensibility of a fiercely independent woman who has lived out her conflicts, not her fantasies, in a city (New York) that has done the same. Running steadily through the book is Vivian Gornick?s exchange of more than twenty years with Leonard, a gay man who is sophisticated about his own unhappiness, whose friendship has "shed more light on the mysterious nature of ordinary human relations than has any other intimacy" she has known. The exchange between Gornick and Leonard acts as a Greek chorus to the main action of the narrator?s continual engagement on the street with grocers, derelicts, and doormen; people on the bus, cross-dressers on the corner, and acquaintances by the handful. In Leonard she sees herself reflected plain; out on the street she makes sense of what she sees. Written as a narrative collage that includes meditative pieces on the making of a modern feminist, the role of the flaneur in urban literature, and the evolution of friendship over the past two centuries, The Odd Woman and the City beautifully bookends Gornick?s acclaimed Fierce Attachments, in which we first encountered her rich relationship with the ultimate metropolis"-- Suministrado por el Editor "A contentious, deeply moving ode to friendship, love, and urban life in the spirit of Fierce Attachments A memoir of self-discovery and the dilemma of connection in our time, The Odd Woman and the City explores the rhythms, chance encounters, and ever-changing friendships of urban life that forge the sensibility of a fiercely independent woman who has lived out her conflicts, not her fantasies, in a city (New York) that has done the same. Running steadily through the book is Vivian Gornick's exchange of more than twenty years with Leonard, a gay man who is sophisticated about his own unhappiness, whose friendship has "shed more light on the mysterious nature of ordinary human relations than has any other intimacy" she has known. The exchange between Gornick and Leonard acts as a Greek chorus to the main action of the narrator's continual engagement on the street with grocers, derelicts, and doormen; people on the bus, cross-dressers on the corner, and acquaintances by the handful. In Leonard she sees herself reflected plain; out on the street she makes sense of what she sees. Written as a narrative collage that includes meditative pieces on the making of a modern feminist, the role of the flaneur in urban literature, and the evolution of friendship over the past two centuries, The Odd Woman and the City beautifully bookends Gornick's acclaimed Fierce Attachments, in which we first encountered her rich relationship with the ultimate metropolis"-- Provided by publisher A Contentious, Deeply Moving Ode To Friendship, Love, And Urban Life In The Spirit Of Fierce Attachments A Memoir Of Self-discovery And The Dilemma Of Connection In Our Time, The Odd Woman And The City Explores The Rhythms, Chance Encounters, And Ever-changing Friendships Of Urban Life That Forge The Sensibility Of A Fiercely Independent Woman Who Has Lived Out Her Conflicts, Not Her Fantasies, In A City (new York) That Has Done The Same. Running Steadily Through The Book Is Vivian Gornick's Exchange Of More Than Twenty Years With Leonard, A Gay Man Who Is Sophisticated About His Own Unhappiness, Whose Friendship Has Shed More Light On The Mysterious Nature Of Ordinary Human Relations Than Has Any Other Intimacy She Has Known. The Exchange Between Gornick And Leonard Acts As A Greek Chorus To The Main Action Of The Narrator's Continual Engagement On The Street With Grocers, Derelicts, And Doormen; People On The Bus, Cross-dressers On The Corner, And Acquaintances By The Handful. In Leonard She Sees Herself Reflected Plain; Out On The Street She Makes Sense Of What She Sees. Written As A Narrative Collage That Includes Meditative Pieces On The Making Of A Modern Feminist, The Role Of The Flaneur In Urban Literature, And The Evolution Of Friendship Over The Past Two Centuries, The Odd Woman And The City Beautifully Bookends Gornick's Acclaimed Fierce Attachments, In Which We First Encountered Her Rich Relationship With The Ultimate Metropolis-- Vivian Gornick.