What do you think?
Rate this book
The Boston Girl
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2015)From the New York Times bestselling author of The Red Tent and Day After Night, comes an unforgettable coming-of-age novel about family ties and values, friendship and feminism told through the eyes of a young Jewish woman growing up in Boston in the early twentieth century.
Addie Baum is The Boston Girl, born in 1900 to immigrant parents who were unprepared for and suspicious of America and its effect on their three daughters. Growing up in the North End, then a teeming multicultural neighborhood, Addie's intelligence and curiosity take her to a world her parents can't imagine - a world of short skirts, movies, celebrity culture and new opportunities for women. Addie wants to finish high school and dreams of going to college. She wants a career and to find true love.
Eighty-five-year-old Addie tells the story of her life to her twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, who has asked her "How did you get to be the woman you are today?" She begins in 1915, the year she found her voice and made friends who would help shape the course of her life. From the one-room tenement apartment she shared with her parents and two sisters, to the library group for girls she joins at a neighborhood settlement house, to her first, disastrous love affair, Addie recalls her adventures with compassion for the naïve girl she was and a wicked sense of humor.
Written with the same attention to historical detail and emotional resonance that made Anita Diamant's previous novels bestsellers, The Boston Girl is a moving portrait of one woman’s complicated life in twentieth-century America, and a fascinating look at a generation of women finding their places in a changing world.
Addie Baum is The Boston Girl, born in 1900 to immigrant parents who were unprepared for and suspicious of America and its effect on their three daughters. Growing up in the North End, then a teeming multicultural neighborhood, Addie's intelligence and curiosity take her to a world her parents can't imagine - a world of short skirts, movies, celebrity culture and new opportunities for women. Addie wants to finish high school and dreams of going to college. She wants a career and to find true love.
Eighty-five-year-old Addie tells the story of her life to her twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, who has asked her "How did you get to be the woman you are today?" She begins in 1915, the year she found her voice and made friends who would help shape the course of her life. From the one-room tenement apartment she shared with her parents and two sisters, to the library group for girls she joins at a neighborhood settlement house, to her first, disastrous love affair, Addie recalls her adventures with compassion for the naïve girl she was and a wicked sense of humor.
Written with the same attention to historical detail and emotional resonance that made Anita Diamant's previous novels bestsellers, The Boston Girl is a moving portrait of one woman’s complicated life in twentieth-century America, and a fascinating look at a generation of women finding their places in a changing world.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 9, 2014
2743 people are currently reading
72540 people want to read
About the author
Anita Diamant
36 books4,747 followersAnita Diamant is the author of thirteen books -- including THE RED TENT. Based on the biblical story of Dinah, THE RED TENT became a word-of-mouth bestseller in the US and around the world, where it has been published in more than 25 countries.
Her new book, a work of nonfiction. PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE. A NEW CHAPTER IN THE FIGHT FOR MENSTRUAL JUSTICE will be published in May 2021., As different as they are, this book returns to some of the themes of THE RED TENT -- including the meaning and experience of menstruation.
Anita has written four other novels: GOOD HARBOR, THE LAST DAYS OF DOGTOWN, DAY AFTER NIGHT, and THE BOSTON GIRL. She is also the author of six non-fiction guides to contemporary Jewish life, which have become classic reference books: THE JEWISH WEDDING NOW, THE JEWISH BABY BOOK, LIVING A JEWISH LIFE, CHOOSING A JEWISH LIFE, HOW TO RAISE A JEWISH CHILD, and SAYING KADDISH..
An award-winning journalist, Diamant's articles have appeared in the Boston Globe, Real Simple, Parenting Magazine, Hadassah, Boston Magazine and Yankee Magazine. PITCHING MY TENT, a collection personal essays, is drawn from twenty years worth of newspaper and magazine columns.
Her new book, a work of nonfiction. PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE. A NEW CHAPTER IN THE FIGHT FOR MENSTRUAL JUSTICE will be published in May 2021., As different as they are, this book returns to some of the themes of THE RED TENT -- including the meaning and experience of menstruation.
Anita has written four other novels: GOOD HARBOR, THE LAST DAYS OF DOGTOWN, DAY AFTER NIGHT, and THE BOSTON GIRL. She is also the author of six non-fiction guides to contemporary Jewish life, which have become classic reference books: THE JEWISH WEDDING NOW, THE JEWISH BABY BOOK, LIVING A JEWISH LIFE, CHOOSING A JEWISH LIFE, HOW TO RAISE A JEWISH CHILD, and SAYING KADDISH..
An award-winning journalist, Diamant's articles have appeared in the Boston Globe, Real Simple, Parenting Magazine, Hadassah, Boston Magazine and Yankee Magazine. PITCHING MY TENT, a collection personal essays, is drawn from twenty years worth of newspaper and magazine columns.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,884 reviews
August 7, 2016
This is one of those rare novels that if 'life hadn't gotten in the way' I could have read in one sitting. It was like pulling a warm blanket out of the drier and wrapping it around you... I LOVED the first person telling of the story and felt like Addie was my grandmother telling me about her life. Very simple and honest... made me truly wish that my own grandparents were still around to ask them the story of their lives. A true gem!
December 17, 2014
Anita Diamant’s new novel,“The Boston Girl,” comes to us as the transcript of a tape-recorded monologue delivered by an 85-year-old woman named Addie Baum. Addie is cheery, alert and full of needlepointed wisdom. If this allegedly spontaneous memoir is any indication, she’s also the most well-organized 85-year-old woman in the world. Asked by her granddaughter to talk about how she got to be the person she is today, Addie takes us back to 1900, the year she was born. From there, she leads us through a series of episodes that have all the color and vibrancy of a plastic bouquet.
Addie was the plucky daughter of immigrants who escaped starvation and violence in Russia to settle in a tiny Boston apartment. “In 1915, there were four of us living in one room,” she begins. “We had a stove, a table, a few chairs, and a saggy couch that Mameh and Papa slept on at night.”They eat a lot of potatoes and cabbage. Deeply suspicious of America’s loose culture, at home Addie’s parents speak only Yiddish, mostly to bicker. Her mother, in particular, is a joyless hag. She criticizes Addie for wasting her time studying and staying in school: “She’s already ruining her eyes from reading. No one wants to marry a girl with a squint.” That’s Mameh in a nutshell, which is where she stays throughout this novel, huddled and bitter, tossing off worn aphorisms and barbs about everyone else’s failures. (Does Mameh turn sweet and loving on her deathbed? Such is the suspense that electrifies “The Boston Girl.”)
Addie, of course, finds ways to escape her parents’ suffocating expectations. She joins a reading club for Jewish girls. There she meets a better class of people, who introduce her to games and books and leisure activities that would scandalize her mother: lawn tennis, archery, croquet! She has to ask what the word “hiking” means. She’s excited to see a wicker chair for the first time. One of her friends has the cutest dimples in the world.
We’re a long way from “The Red Tent,” that feminist novel of biblical proportions that propelled Diamant onto the bestseller list in 1997. (This week’s Lifetime miniseries based on the novel surely sparked new interest.) But here, in early 20th-century Boston, Diamant strictly observes the rituals of the American immigrant story, which is not necessarily a problem. After all, that archetypal form offers a standard foundation while remaining flexible enough to accommodate an infinite variety of interior design.
At this late date, though, the demands of originality in the immigrant story, both in plot and style, are high — higher, alas, than this pleasant, undemanding novel is willing to reach. For instance, although Addie’s father is a respected man in thetemple and young Addie is aware of the anti-Semitic currents running around her, Diamant makes little effort to address issues of faith or ethnic prejudice. Instead, Addie’s anecdotes are mostly charming, sweet tales one might hear while trapped with grandma for an afternoon in the retirement-home dining room. (Try the Jell-O; it’s good.) Long stretches of “The Boston Girl” are so predictable that AARP should sue for defamation.
It’s not as though serious, even wrenching events don’t arise in these pages. Addie’s desperately anxious older sister flits about like a character from “The Glass Menagerie.” A young man Addie dates has been ruined by post-traumatic stress disorder, which doctors tell him to deal with by not talking about what he remembers. And there’s rape, abortion, suicide and all manner of thwarted dreams — other people’s, at least. But Diamant insists on packaging these incidents in neat little chapters that admit none of the messiness or indeterminacy of lived experience. World War I, the flu of 1918, the Minnesota orphan train, Southern lynchings — they’re all blanched in the warm bath of Addie’s sentimental narrative. A reference to the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti immediately gives way to an engagement party. Later, an abusive man is murdered — probably by an ax — but Addie concludes that episode by crowing, “I had pie for breakfast every day for the rest of the summer.” My hopes rose for a taste of “Sweeney Todd,” but no.
“The Boston Girl” suffers most from its refusal to acknowledge the complexity of memory and oral history. Addie claims, “I’ve forgotten a lot more than I like to admit,” but without hesitation, repetition or unconscious revelation, she delivers happy recollections from the 1920s with more detail and dialogue than I can recall from breakfast. On the tight, shiny surface of this narrative, there’s so little tremor of real life. Without letting us hear the resonance of actual reminiscence and the timbre of authentic speech, the novel moves along without moving us.
This review first appeared in The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/enterta...
Addie was the plucky daughter of immigrants who escaped starvation and violence in Russia to settle in a tiny Boston apartment. “In 1915, there were four of us living in one room,” she begins. “We had a stove, a table, a few chairs, and a saggy couch that Mameh and Papa slept on at night.”They eat a lot of potatoes and cabbage. Deeply suspicious of America’s loose culture, at home Addie’s parents speak only Yiddish, mostly to bicker. Her mother, in particular, is a joyless hag. She criticizes Addie for wasting her time studying and staying in school: “She’s already ruining her eyes from reading. No one wants to marry a girl with a squint.” That’s Mameh in a nutshell, which is where she stays throughout this novel, huddled and bitter, tossing off worn aphorisms and barbs about everyone else’s failures. (Does Mameh turn sweet and loving on her deathbed? Such is the suspense that electrifies “The Boston Girl.”)
Addie, of course, finds ways to escape her parents’ suffocating expectations. She joins a reading club for Jewish girls. There she meets a better class of people, who introduce her to games and books and leisure activities that would scandalize her mother: lawn tennis, archery, croquet! She has to ask what the word “hiking” means. She’s excited to see a wicker chair for the first time. One of her friends has the cutest dimples in the world.
We’re a long way from “The Red Tent,” that feminist novel of biblical proportions that propelled Diamant onto the bestseller list in 1997. (This week’s Lifetime miniseries based on the novel surely sparked new interest.) But here, in early 20th-century Boston, Diamant strictly observes the rituals of the American immigrant story, which is not necessarily a problem. After all, that archetypal form offers a standard foundation while remaining flexible enough to accommodate an infinite variety of interior design.
At this late date, though, the demands of originality in the immigrant story, both in plot and style, are high — higher, alas, than this pleasant, undemanding novel is willing to reach. For instance, although Addie’s father is a respected man in thetemple and young Addie is aware of the anti-Semitic currents running around her, Diamant makes little effort to address issues of faith or ethnic prejudice. Instead, Addie’s anecdotes are mostly charming, sweet tales one might hear while trapped with grandma for an afternoon in the retirement-home dining room. (Try the Jell-O; it’s good.) Long stretches of “The Boston Girl” are so predictable that AARP should sue for defamation.
It’s not as though serious, even wrenching events don’t arise in these pages. Addie’s desperately anxious older sister flits about like a character from “The Glass Menagerie.” A young man Addie dates has been ruined by post-traumatic stress disorder, which doctors tell him to deal with by not talking about what he remembers. And there’s rape, abortion, suicide and all manner of thwarted dreams — other people’s, at least. But Diamant insists on packaging these incidents in neat little chapters that admit none of the messiness or indeterminacy of lived experience. World War I, the flu of 1918, the Minnesota orphan train, Southern lynchings — they’re all blanched in the warm bath of Addie’s sentimental narrative. A reference to the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti immediately gives way to an engagement party. Later, an abusive man is murdered — probably by an ax — but Addie concludes that episode by crowing, “I had pie for breakfast every day for the rest of the summer.” My hopes rose for a taste of “Sweeney Todd,” but no.
“The Boston Girl” suffers most from its refusal to acknowledge the complexity of memory and oral history. Addie claims, “I’ve forgotten a lot more than I like to admit,” but without hesitation, repetition or unconscious revelation, she delivers happy recollections from the 1920s with more detail and dialogue than I can recall from breakfast. On the tight, shiny surface of this narrative, there’s so little tremor of real life. Without letting us hear the resonance of actual reminiscence and the timbre of authentic speech, the novel moves along without moving us.
This review first appeared in The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/enterta...
September 17, 2014
I read this novel in 2 sittings! It took my heart!
A LIFE STORY ......Beautifully written by a Master storyteller. (The author has the talent to make challenging complex structure look effortless, even casual).
I was 'weeping' at the pure beauty this novel was - (weeping to have it end).
This is one of the best 'simple-but-powerful' stories I've read all year --(with very clean editing)! I deeply appreciate that there was not 'any' wasted unnecessary chatter.
Universal forces are examined through the 'storytelling': domesticity and freedom, heredity & independence, ambition, political and cultural conditions, History, family, friendship, loyalty, ethics, moral integrity, heroism, marriage, parenting, beauty, fears, forgiveness, dysfunctional relationships, inspiring relationships, love, loss, honor....And the real meaning of family!
The strength of this book is a liberating transition of humanity & spirit ---The reader is genuinely emotionally deeply transformed from having read this little jewel!
Give this book to your daughters, your parents, your grandparents....and make sure to read it yourself!
THIS is what 'STORYTELLING is all ABOUT"!!!! .....
Remember: [TAKEN from the novel]..... "Its good to ruffle the feathers of those silly hats"!
THANK YOU NETGALLEY!!!!
THANK YOU ANITA!!!!!!!!! YOU ROCK!!!!
A LIFE STORY ......Beautifully written by a Master storyteller. (The author has the talent to make challenging complex structure look effortless, even casual).
I was 'weeping' at the pure beauty this novel was - (weeping to have it end).
This is one of the best 'simple-but-powerful' stories I've read all year --(with very clean editing)! I deeply appreciate that there was not 'any' wasted unnecessary chatter.
Universal forces are examined through the 'storytelling': domesticity and freedom, heredity & independence, ambition, political and cultural conditions, History, family, friendship, loyalty, ethics, moral integrity, heroism, marriage, parenting, beauty, fears, forgiveness, dysfunctional relationships, inspiring relationships, love, loss, honor....And the real meaning of family!
The strength of this book is a liberating transition of humanity & spirit ---The reader is genuinely emotionally deeply transformed from having read this little jewel!
Give this book to your daughters, your parents, your grandparents....and make sure to read it yourself!
THIS is what 'STORYTELLING is all ABOUT"!!!! .....
Remember: [TAKEN from the novel]..... "Its good to ruffle the feathers of those silly hats"!
THANK YOU NETGALLEY!!!!
THANK YOU ANITA!!!!!!!!! YOU ROCK!!!!
October 31, 2016
In 1985 Addie Baum decides to tell her granddaughter Ava Miller the story of her life. Looking back on eighty five years of memories, Addie reminisces of times long gone, of life before modern conveniences as dish washers and telephones, of immigrants toiling in factories during their first years in the United States. Addie Baum has lived in Boston for her entire life and is The Boston Girl in every sense of the word.
I first read Anita Diamont years ago with her debut novel The Red Tent. At the time, I was captivated by her story of the biblical Dinah. Diamont uses basic language to tell a straight forward tale in first person that brings in the reader from the first pages. Such is the case with The Boston Girl. Even though I am familiar with stories like Addie's- Jewish immigrants living in tenements and working hard to move up in society- I was drawn in by the intimateness of her tale. We move from her teenage years through her young adult life to her courtship. There is hardship, death, a modern older sister, an overbearing mother, and a father clinging to ways of the shtetl. I could have been reading about any Eastern European Jewish family, including my own. Despite the familiarity, I kept reading because of the uniqueness of Addie's tale in the fabric of this country.
The Boston Girl reads like a memoir rather than a novel, and this is where many readers including myself ran into issues with the prose. I read novels for their richness of prose but The Boston Girl tells a straight forward story. We do get descriptions of the time and place, but they are so fast moving because Diamont attempts to place eighty five years of memories into 300 pages, not an easy task; however, this novel does not merit awards for literary prowess. In many cases I down grade a review because I do not enjoy the characters but am drawn in by the prose. The Boston Girl is the opposite- lovely story, prose that I read in one sitting.
I am not a fan of the women's lit genre but I do enjoy a story of people, especially immigrants, reminiscing about how their lives have changed. Thus, even I read Addie's tale as though I was hearing about my great grandparents and the start of my family in this country. I especially enjoyed the female companionship amongst Addie and her friends which included a melting pot of nationalities. When Addie says that today is better I am not so sure because in modern society there is much competition even among friends. Amongst the settlement house girls, we see comradeship and friendships that last a lifetime. Strong female friendships are a trademark of Diamont's writing, and even I enjoyed hearing about the stories the Boston girls created through out their lives. I could have been reading about my grandmother and her friends and I enjoyed this intimacy tremendously.
Not a literary giant that I normally savor, The Boston Girl was a relaxing read for a Sunday afternoon at home. It is an intimate book like spending the day with ones female relatives. I did feel like I was spending time with my own grandmother, and this is most likely what Diamont was visualizing with this book. A fast read, with a much better story than prose, I rate The Boston Girl a solid 3.5 stars.
I first read Anita Diamont years ago with her debut novel The Red Tent. At the time, I was captivated by her story of the biblical Dinah. Diamont uses basic language to tell a straight forward tale in first person that brings in the reader from the first pages. Such is the case with The Boston Girl. Even though I am familiar with stories like Addie's- Jewish immigrants living in tenements and working hard to move up in society- I was drawn in by the intimateness of her tale. We move from her teenage years through her young adult life to her courtship. There is hardship, death, a modern older sister, an overbearing mother, and a father clinging to ways of the shtetl. I could have been reading about any Eastern European Jewish family, including my own. Despite the familiarity, I kept reading because of the uniqueness of Addie's tale in the fabric of this country.
The Boston Girl reads like a memoir rather than a novel, and this is where many readers including myself ran into issues with the prose. I read novels for their richness of prose but The Boston Girl tells a straight forward story. We do get descriptions of the time and place, but they are so fast moving because Diamont attempts to place eighty five years of memories into 300 pages, not an easy task; however, this novel does not merit awards for literary prowess. In many cases I down grade a review because I do not enjoy the characters but am drawn in by the prose. The Boston Girl is the opposite- lovely story, prose that I read in one sitting.
I am not a fan of the women's lit genre but I do enjoy a story of people, especially immigrants, reminiscing about how their lives have changed. Thus, even I read Addie's tale as though I was hearing about my great grandparents and the start of my family in this country. I especially enjoyed the female companionship amongst Addie and her friends which included a melting pot of nationalities. When Addie says that today is better I am not so sure because in modern society there is much competition even among friends. Amongst the settlement house girls, we see comradeship and friendships that last a lifetime. Strong female friendships are a trademark of Diamont's writing, and even I enjoyed hearing about the stories the Boston girls created through out their lives. I could have been reading about my grandmother and her friends and I enjoyed this intimacy tremendously.
Not a literary giant that I normally savor, The Boston Girl was a relaxing read for a Sunday afternoon at home. It is an intimate book like spending the day with ones female relatives. I did feel like I was spending time with my own grandmother, and this is most likely what Diamont was visualizing with this book. A fast read, with a much better story than prose, I rate The Boston Girl a solid 3.5 stars.
October 11, 2016
When Addie Baum’s granddaughter asks her how she came to be the woman she is today, Addie embarks on a trek down memory lane. It is now 1985 as she relates her life story to granddaughter Ava, but her story goes back many, many years. Addie, now at the wise age of eighty-five, was born to Jewish-Russian immigrants but was born in America and lived her entire life in Boston. The novel is written in a conversational tone as granddaughter and grandmother bond through the sharing of these vivid memories. Addie’s mind is sharp and her storytelling is spirited.
Addie had spark and was a real go-getter. This was a struggle for her – her parents had old-fashioned values and often butted heads with Addie. Her mother lived a hard life, did not want to leave her home country, and as a result turned into a bitter woman. Addie could never seem to please her mother and this distressed her but did not crush her spirit. Her mother believed a woman’s place was in the home and such phrases as "Marriage and children are a woman’s crown" were frequently hurled in Addie’s direction. When Addie meets Miss Chevalier, her own ambition is stimulated when this forward-looking woman proclaims "I believe that girls need gumption, too, especially in this day and age. I believe you are a girl with gumption." So begins Addie’s leap into the world of library reading clubs, Saturday clubs, and “girls camp” at the Rockport Lodge. Much to her mother’s dismay, she joins the ranks of working women. Her mother could grumble all she wanted, but the income from Addie’s job made a big impact on the family’s financial situation. "What could she really do? Without what I earned, she would be back to sewing sheets ten hours a day and eating potatoes every night. Money is power, right?" We learn much about what it was like for a woman earning a living during the years surrounding the 1920s.
Addie’s story touches on a wide range of topics and historic events including World War I, sexual assault, orphan trains, the flu epidemic, suicide, child labor laws, prohibition, and a slew of others. These subjects were discussed in a manner you would expect between grandmother and granddaughter – with brevity and with the gravity due to such topics, but without too much depth. It was interesting to get a snapshot of such events from Addie’s viewpoint. Heartwarming tales of friendship and family were also emphasized, and I really enjoyed those snippets of her narrative. Overall, I would say this is a sweet story, easy to read, and worth your time if you want a light overview of a young woman’s life during early 20th century America. I was not truly inspired by the writing itself. Having been a huge fan of Diamant’s novel The Red Tent, I perhaps expected a bit more complexity and richness in the prose. However, this read more like a memoir; one which I believe would have been more enjoyable had I listened to rather than read Addie’s words. I applauded Addie's independence and enthusiasm for life.
Addie had spark and was a real go-getter. This was a struggle for her – her parents had old-fashioned values and often butted heads with Addie. Her mother lived a hard life, did not want to leave her home country, and as a result turned into a bitter woman. Addie could never seem to please her mother and this distressed her but did not crush her spirit. Her mother believed a woman’s place was in the home and such phrases as "Marriage and children are a woman’s crown" were frequently hurled in Addie’s direction. When Addie meets Miss Chevalier, her own ambition is stimulated when this forward-looking woman proclaims "I believe that girls need gumption, too, especially in this day and age. I believe you are a girl with gumption." So begins Addie’s leap into the world of library reading clubs, Saturday clubs, and “girls camp” at the Rockport Lodge. Much to her mother’s dismay, she joins the ranks of working women. Her mother could grumble all she wanted, but the income from Addie’s job made a big impact on the family’s financial situation. "What could she really do? Without what I earned, she would be back to sewing sheets ten hours a day and eating potatoes every night. Money is power, right?" We learn much about what it was like for a woman earning a living during the years surrounding the 1920s.
Addie’s story touches on a wide range of topics and historic events including World War I, sexual assault, orphan trains, the flu epidemic, suicide, child labor laws, prohibition, and a slew of others. These subjects were discussed in a manner you would expect between grandmother and granddaughter – with brevity and with the gravity due to such topics, but without too much depth. It was interesting to get a snapshot of such events from Addie’s viewpoint. Heartwarming tales of friendship and family were also emphasized, and I really enjoyed those snippets of her narrative. Overall, I would say this is a sweet story, easy to read, and worth your time if you want a light overview of a young woman’s life during early 20th century America. I was not truly inspired by the writing itself. Having been a huge fan of Diamant’s novel The Red Tent, I perhaps expected a bit more complexity and richness in the prose. However, this read more like a memoir; one which I believe would have been more enjoyable had I listened to rather than read Addie’s words. I applauded Addie's independence and enthusiasm for life.
March 3, 2015
Where I got the book: purchased on Kindle. This was read for my IRL book club. ***SPOILER WARNING***
I have to say straight out that I’m the wrong reader for this book, always a risk when somebody else chooses the reading material. It pings a couple of my prejudices:
First, I don’t like immigrant success stories. They’re always the same—a girl, generally Irish or Jewish for some reason, comes to America/is born in America to a recently arrived immigrant family. She grows up strongly influenced by American values and ambitions and chafes against the restrictions that her family, clinging to Old Country ways, try to impose on her. Because she’s really clever (and often beautiful too) she succeeds in getting a tiny foothold in her chosen profession, and by dint of showing her brilliance gradually climbs the career ladder, ending up as a powerful and influential businesswoman who, of course, still has a heart of gold because she knows what it’s like to suffer. Along the way, the main character is helped by sundry people who like her because she’s brilliant, beautiful and exceptional and yet remains authentic with a heart of gold. She is an asset to every business she touches. She has a flaw banging around somewhere, but it exists mostly to highlight her perfection. She is too modest and too downtrodden by her family’s Old Country guilt and pessimism to realize how wonderful she is.
Second, the story’s more likely to irritate me if the chosen profession of the main character is: WRITER. Oh, for heaven’s sake, show some imagination, people. Have her be a car mechanic or hitwoman for the Mafia or Prohibition booze manufacturer or something interesting.
So when I tell you that The Boston Girl is about Addie Baum, born to a recently arrived Polish family, whose love of books, general brilliance and modest beauty attracts the attention of various people as she works her way up in the world until she becomes—gasp!—a newspaper writer*, you’ll understand why I’m not the Ideal Reader here. This is definitely one of those cases where your mileage may vary enormously.
Another annoyance was the writing. Not that Diamant can’t write well—she can. But the novel was written to about a seventh grade reading comprehension level, and you just KNOW that’s going to bore me. And since it’s Addie who tells the story as an old woman, I fell to wondering why a great writer had such a limited vocabulary. The granddaughter she’s telling it to is an adult, so no excuse there.
Actually, I wasn’t quite sure if Addie became a great writer at all. You’re evidently supposed to think so, since she makes references to people praising her lifetime achievements and all that, but the novel’s pretty vague about what those achievements were.
Addie’s flaw-that-highlights-her-perfection is her cluelessness in matters of men and love. Awwww bless. If she hadn’t been telling her story to her granddaughter, thus revealing from the beginning that she managed to get laid at some point, I might have had hopes that she’d turn out to be a lifelong celibate—BUT NO. After a couple of mishits along comes Mr. Right and the independent Addie is suddenly the type of woman who sits around crying because her man ain’t there at that particular moment.
The most annoying factor of all was the fact that there was never really any plot. Addie grows up, life happens to her, her sisters and her friends, children are born, people die, then the novel just kind of ends. Two world wars happen without a great deal of impact, except for an unconvincing case of shellshock.
The stories I really wanted to hear were those of Addie’s mother and her somehow damaged sister Celia. I totally identified with miserable Mameh, who had to leave the Old Country because of her husband, lost children as a result and could never reconcile herself to America. She just wants the Old Country back, with its familiar language and familiar ways and cabbages that taste good. As I’m an immigrant myself, I quite understood Mameh’s curmudgeonly attitude and felt a great deal of sympathy for her isolation within her homesickness, while everyone else in her family constantly tells her that Everything In America Is Better. Mameh’s only joy is Celia, but that girl too is miserably wounded somewhere because of her transplantation into an alien world. Those would have made great stories but no, we got the tale of the most successful American in the family instead. Mameh seems mostly to exist in order to inject a little conflict into Addie’s life because novels need conflict . . . .
So, not my kind of thing. My initial two-star rating was pure Goodreads “I thought it was OK” because I did think it was OK, as books go. And then I cranked it up to three stars because I lean toward generosity and I could definitely add half a star for the book not being an actual pain in the butt to read. It just wasn’t very interesting for me, and if I hadn’t had a book club date hanging over my head I would have returned it for a refund.
*Update: I was informed (see comments below) that her eventual career is different. But the only phase we're shown in the novel was the newspaper writer.
I have to say straight out that I’m the wrong reader for this book, always a risk when somebody else chooses the reading material. It pings a couple of my prejudices:
First, I don’t like immigrant success stories. They’re always the same—a girl, generally Irish or Jewish for some reason, comes to America/is born in America to a recently arrived immigrant family. She grows up strongly influenced by American values and ambitions and chafes against the restrictions that her family, clinging to Old Country ways, try to impose on her. Because she’s really clever (and often beautiful too) she succeeds in getting a tiny foothold in her chosen profession, and by dint of showing her brilliance gradually climbs the career ladder, ending up as a powerful and influential businesswoman who, of course, still has a heart of gold because she knows what it’s like to suffer. Along the way, the main character is helped by sundry people who like her because she’s brilliant, beautiful and exceptional and yet remains authentic with a heart of gold. She is an asset to every business she touches. She has a flaw banging around somewhere, but it exists mostly to highlight her perfection. She is too modest and too downtrodden by her family’s Old Country guilt and pessimism to realize how wonderful she is.
Second, the story’s more likely to irritate me if the chosen profession of the main character is: WRITER. Oh, for heaven’s sake, show some imagination, people. Have her be a car mechanic or hitwoman for the Mafia or Prohibition booze manufacturer or something interesting.
So when I tell you that The Boston Girl is about Addie Baum, born to a recently arrived Polish family, whose love of books, general brilliance and modest beauty attracts the attention of various people as she works her way up in the world until she becomes—gasp!—a newspaper writer*, you’ll understand why I’m not the Ideal Reader here. This is definitely one of those cases where your mileage may vary enormously.
Another annoyance was the writing. Not that Diamant can’t write well—she can. But the novel was written to about a seventh grade reading comprehension level, and you just KNOW that’s going to bore me. And since it’s Addie who tells the story as an old woman, I fell to wondering why a great writer had such a limited vocabulary. The granddaughter she’s telling it to is an adult, so no excuse there.
Actually, I wasn’t quite sure if Addie became a great writer at all. You’re evidently supposed to think so, since she makes references to people praising her lifetime achievements and all that, but the novel’s pretty vague about what those achievements were.
Addie’s flaw-that-highlights-her-perfection is her cluelessness in matters of men and love. Awwww bless. If she hadn’t been telling her story to her granddaughter, thus revealing from the beginning that she managed to get laid at some point, I might have had hopes that she’d turn out to be a lifelong celibate—BUT NO. After a couple of mishits along comes Mr. Right and the independent Addie is suddenly the type of woman who sits around crying because her man ain’t there at that particular moment.
The most annoying factor of all was the fact that there was never really any plot. Addie grows up, life happens to her, her sisters and her friends, children are born, people die, then the novel just kind of ends. Two world wars happen without a great deal of impact, except for an unconvincing case of shellshock.
The stories I really wanted to hear were those of Addie’s mother and her somehow damaged sister Celia. I totally identified with miserable Mameh, who had to leave the Old Country because of her husband, lost children as a result and could never reconcile herself to America. She just wants the Old Country back, with its familiar language and familiar ways and cabbages that taste good. As I’m an immigrant myself, I quite understood Mameh’s curmudgeonly attitude and felt a great deal of sympathy for her isolation within her homesickness, while everyone else in her family constantly tells her that Everything In America Is Better. Mameh’s only joy is Celia, but that girl too is miserably wounded somewhere because of her transplantation into an alien world. Those would have made great stories but no, we got the tale of the most successful American in the family instead. Mameh seems mostly to exist in order to inject a little conflict into Addie’s life because novels need conflict . . . .
So, not my kind of thing. My initial two-star rating was pure Goodreads “I thought it was OK” because I did think it was OK, as books go. And then I cranked it up to three stars because I lean toward generosity and I could definitely add half a star for the book not being an actual pain in the butt to read. It just wasn’t very interesting for me, and if I hadn’t had a book club date hanging over my head I would have returned it for a refund.
*Update: I was informed (see comments below) that her eventual career is different. But the only phase we're shown in the novel was the newspaper writer.
November 4, 2014
Review of Advanced Reading Copy, Kindle edition.
At one point, I looked up this title on Goodreads to see if it was a young adult or youth title. The narrative, complimented by uncomplicated writing style, was very straightforward and unembellished. This is not to say that the novel was ill-written. In fact, it was well-written in that it read like a transcript of an oral history, which is the basis for the story. But this reader was expecting more of a literary style.
And if the voice of the narrative was unornate, one might expect the story to be more dynamic. Instead, the plot line is very forthright as well. It truly is a "coming of age" story for a young woman in Boston in the early part of the 20th century. The woman's family story touches upon the immigrant experience, poverty and success, the first world war, the spanish flu epidemic, traditional expectations of marriage. Yet none of these elements are handled with a dramatic flair. No surprising plot twists here, rather a plain accounting of life as you might expect it during those decades. And, interestingly, very little of the narrative concerns the great depression or WW2. Really, our protagonist Addie gets married and the narrative rushes to a conclusion. Quite the dichotomy considering Addie spends much of the story in tension with traditional female roles of the period.
In short, the narrative is effective because it reads very much like an oral history, which is essentially what it is, rather than a highly fictionalized dramatic story.
At one point, I looked up this title on Goodreads to see if it was a young adult or youth title. The narrative, complimented by uncomplicated writing style, was very straightforward and unembellished. This is not to say that the novel was ill-written. In fact, it was well-written in that it read like a transcript of an oral history, which is the basis for the story. But this reader was expecting more of a literary style.
And if the voice of the narrative was unornate, one might expect the story to be more dynamic. Instead, the plot line is very forthright as well. It truly is a "coming of age" story for a young woman in Boston in the early part of the 20th century. The woman's family story touches upon the immigrant experience, poverty and success, the first world war, the spanish flu epidemic, traditional expectations of marriage. Yet none of these elements are handled with a dramatic flair. No surprising plot twists here, rather a plain accounting of life as you might expect it during those decades. And, interestingly, very little of the narrative concerns the great depression or WW2. Really, our protagonist Addie gets married and the narrative rushes to a conclusion. Quite the dichotomy considering Addie spends much of the story in tension with traditional female roles of the period.
In short, the narrative is effective because it reads very much like an oral history, which is essentially what it is, rather than a highly fictionalized dramatic story.
October 31, 2014
3.5 When Addie's grand-daughter asks an 85 year old Addis to tell her about her life it opens a conversation between the two of them. So the style of this book is divided in years and written somewhat as a memoir.
Starting the in early 1900's, Addie's parent's came to the North end of Boston from Russia. They live with all the suspicions and dislike held for the Jews at that time. So much history is covered from tenement living, prohibition, the flu epidemic, the polio epidemic and the fight to get fair labor laws for woman and children.
Addie has seen so much and is a very likable narrator. This book is good but I think I just expected better than good from this author. It is, however, very easy to read, covers much history and tells the story of an admirable woman.
ARC from publisher.
Starting the in early 1900's, Addie's parent's came to the North end of Boston from Russia. They live with all the suspicions and dislike held for the Jews at that time. So much history is covered from tenement living, prohibition, the flu epidemic, the polio epidemic and the fight to get fair labor laws for woman and children.
Addie has seen so much and is a very likable narrator. This book is good but I think I just expected better than good from this author. It is, however, very easy to read, covers much history and tells the story of an admirable woman.
ARC from publisher.
December 10, 2014
This is the story of 85-year-old Addie Baum, told in an interview with her grand daughter. It is a sweet tale of a time when Addie's family was new to the country and she was the only one to be born in the US out of them all. She was born in Boston before the first World War and being Jewish she didn't have it as easy as many others would. This is a great story of family, friendship, career, and love.
This book is so incredible at establishing a well-rounded character that I found myself double checking at the end to see if it was actually fiction. I felt Addie was so real that I found myself wishing that she were my own grandmother. I didn't have a hands-on lovey dovey grandmother and the one that would've been died before I was born so I've always felt that I've missed out on having that special bond, therefore it is great books like this that give me a sense of how wonderful it could be.
This book is so incredible at establishing a well-rounded character that I found myself double checking at the end to see if it was actually fiction. I felt Addie was so real that I found myself wishing that she were my own grandmother. I didn't have a hands-on lovey dovey grandmother and the one that would've been died before I was born so I've always felt that I've missed out on having that special bond, therefore it is great books like this that give me a sense of how wonderful it could be.
December 21, 2014
* Happy Sigh*, What a nice read that was. I haven't read a book that fast in ages. I am a fan of books that cover a protagonists entire lifetime, however I feel that they can be hard to do right. They either end up being too long and forcing you to skim, or too short and leave you feeling like there are holes in the story. This book was a good middle ground between the two. I thought that the way the story was told (with Addie telling the story of her life to her granddaughter), was a clever way of jumping around a large time-line without the story feeling disjointed.
The Boston Girl has a little something for everyone in it, and I loved how there were lots of funny and lighthearted chapters, but also darker realities weaved throughout the story. Addie is a very lovable main character who happens to be a great storyteller to boot.
By, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Buy
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2017
Every time I pick up a Diamant, I am hoping it will be the next Red Tent, but it never is. Sometimes it is sad when an author peaks early, and in this case I think she did. But, this review is not about The Red Tent, it is about The Boston Girl, which I found to be quite mediocre.
The story is told, unnecessarily, by an eighty-five year old Addie Baum to her granddaughter, Ava. I could find no purpose in this device. We are told nothing about Addie at this age nor about Ava or her life, we are simply interrupted from the flow of the story occasionally to be reminded that there is an old woman telling this tale. I suspect the book would have been improved for me had Diamant simply told it in a straightforward, instead of a retrospective, voice.
There is nothing spectacular about Addie’s story and it felt like it didn’t really go anywhere for me. It wasn’t horrible, it just wasn’t engaging. If there were half stars, I would give this 2.5...somewhere between “it’s ok” and “I liked it”. As it is, I pushed it up to three.
The story is told, unnecessarily, by an eighty-five year old Addie Baum to her granddaughter, Ava. I could find no purpose in this device. We are told nothing about Addie at this age nor about Ava or her life, we are simply interrupted from the flow of the story occasionally to be reminded that there is an old woman telling this tale. I suspect the book would have been improved for me had Diamant simply told it in a straightforward, instead of a retrospective, voice.
There is nothing spectacular about Addie’s story and it felt like it didn’t really go anywhere for me. It wasn’t horrible, it just wasn’t engaging. If there were half stars, I would give this 2.5...somewhere between “it’s ok” and “I liked it”. As it is, I pushed it up to three.
December 11, 2014
Addie Baum's Papa, Mameh, and two sisters immigrated to Boston from Russia before Addie was conceived, so she is a true Boston girl with the accent to prove it. Her Mameh is a sour woman who is distrustful of all things American and doesn't hesitate to say so. She is an injustice collector and a blame placer. Nothing is ever good enough for her, especially Addie, who wants to read and get a good education. Mameh mutters spells to ward off the evil eye, thinks an enema is the cure for virtually everything, and gives the ol' fish eye to anyone who disagrees with her in word or deed. Is it any wonder that 15 year old Addie's dream is to get out of that house?
This is her story - from young teenager to an 85 year old grandmama. I was charmed by Addie Baum and loved reading of her life. She smartly notes that being 85 tends to give one perspective on life. Also arthritis. A delightful read.
This was a GR first-reads giveaway ARC, thank you.
This is her story - from young teenager to an 85 year old grandmama. I was charmed by Addie Baum and loved reading of her life. She smartly notes that being 85 tends to give one perspective on life. Also arthritis. A delightful read.
This was a GR first-reads giveaway ARC, thank you.
August 20, 2016
This is a heartwarming story about a girl growing up in Boston in the Twentieth Century.
The novel begins in 1985, with Addie Baum telling her life story to her granddaughter. Addie is the daughter of Jewish immigrants, and times were tough in the early 1900s. Luckily, Addie was a clever girl who liked to learn, so she did well in school and eventually became a writer.
Addie did have some early trouble with men (trigger warning: sexual assault scene), but eventually she met a nice fella and married him.
I enjoyed this novel, but in places the writing was a little precious, the stories were a little too pat and perfect. Historic events were referenced, but sometimes it felt as if the author was just ticking things off a chronological list. (World War I - check! Spanish Flu pandemic - check!)
I do wonder if I would have enjoyed this book more if I were a teenager. Because most of Addie's experiences were about growing up and trying to make her way in the world, I think a young adult reader might like this. Recommended if you like historical fiction.
The novel begins in 1985, with Addie Baum telling her life story to her granddaughter. Addie is the daughter of Jewish immigrants, and times were tough in the early 1900s. Luckily, Addie was a clever girl who liked to learn, so she did well in school and eventually became a writer.
Addie did have some early trouble with men (trigger warning: sexual assault scene), but eventually she met a nice fella and married him.
I enjoyed this novel, but in places the writing was a little precious, the stories were a little too pat and perfect. Historic events were referenced, but sometimes it felt as if the author was just ticking things off a chronological list. (World War I - check! Spanish Flu pandemic - check!)
I do wonder if I would have enjoyed this book more if I were a teenager. Because most of Addie's experiences were about growing up and trying to make her way in the world, I think a young adult reader might like this. Recommended if you like historical fiction.
November 18, 2015
What s wonderful book! Addie Baum is recounting her life to her granddaughter Ava, and after awhile, you forget that this is fiction. You get so immersed in the story, all the heartache and the joy, and all the marvelous, and some not so marvelous, people in Addie's life. But all the characters are so vivid, so perfectly portrayed, that you think they are real.
Addie is the perfect narrator. She can look back on her life and evoke the emotions but also apply a wry wit to situations.
There is a lot than can be said about how this book explores the emerging role of women in society, immigrant life, social change in the 20th century, blah, blah, blah. I'll let greater minds get into all that intellectualizing of the book. It's a fantastic read and that's all I need to know. I highly recommend it.
Addie is the perfect narrator. She can look back on her life and evoke the emotions but also apply a wry wit to situations.
There is a lot than can be said about how this book explores the emerging role of women in society, immigrant life, social change in the 20th century, blah, blah, blah. I'll let greater minds get into all that intellectualizing of the book. It's a fantastic read and that's all I need to know. I highly recommend it.
March 27, 2015
I thought for sure I was reading a children's book and had to check. But I was surprised to learn it was adult fiction. The simple sentences and uncomplicated story line would make a good children's introduction to what immigrant life was like in the early 1900s. But as an adult book it was pablum. No tension, no complications, straight forward story with no self criticism or doubt. Yes, it was pleasant and I may tell my 11 year old granddaughter it would be good for her. Although since she is finished with the Harry Potter Series, she too may find this lacking any depth.
January 8, 2015
This might work as a "young adult" book, but I found it very disappointing. The fact that our "Boston Girl", now a grandmother, is sharing her memories with her granddaughter, make the narrative just plain juvenile and silly at times. Our girl certainly has a great memory, though....again, unbelievably so. Love Anita, and remember fondly how much I enjoyed her columns way back years ago in the Boston Globe. The Red Tent, of course, is in a class by itself. Oh, well....
March 29, 2024
I completely enjoyed this, my first Anita Diamant book. Loved the characters, and the way she brought each to life. I love history and that's part of the reason this was so enjoyable, and it was also a wonderful peek into different cultures.
The timeline goes from 1915 to 1985 when a Jewish grandmother grants her granddaughter an interview just before her 85th birthday. The granddaughter is totally in the background here, but I didn't find that to be a problem as all the other characters were as present as in the room with me.
Her life is a mosaic of finding friends, finding herself and finding love and forgiveness.
Don't miss this wonderful book. I'll be reading lots more by this author.
The timeline goes from 1915 to 1985 when a Jewish grandmother grants her granddaughter an interview just before her 85th birthday. The granddaughter is totally in the background here, but I didn't find that to be a problem as all the other characters were as present as in the room with me.
Her life is a mosaic of finding friends, finding herself and finding love and forgiveness.
Don't miss this wonderful book. I'll be reading lots more by this author.
November 25, 2014
3.5 stars if I could, but rounded up to 4 stars.
This is a story of the daughters of immigrants finding their way in the changing society in Boston starting in 1900 when Addie Baum is born. It took me a while to get into it and the conversational tone feels like a memoir as Addie, whose Jewish family immigrated from what she says is now Russia, tells her story to her granddaughter. But once I did get into it, I was really interested in Addie, and her friends and her sister Betty and how these women managed to forge their independence in a time when it was believed that the woman's place was in the home .
So many things are covered here – education for women, illegal abortion , WWI , the flu epidemic , prohibition , voting rights for women , women against lynching, child labor , orphan trains , women in the work place, but so many things felt glossed over in this short book
The writing style did not appeal to me as much as it did in Diamant's other novels that I've read, but I loved the characters and the independent spirit of these women that was depicted and the story that was told .
Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.
This is a story of the daughters of immigrants finding their way in the changing society in Boston starting in 1900 when Addie Baum is born. It took me a while to get into it and the conversational tone feels like a memoir as Addie, whose Jewish family immigrated from what she says is now Russia, tells her story to her granddaughter. But once I did get into it, I was really interested in Addie, and her friends and her sister Betty and how these women managed to forge their independence in a time when it was believed that the woman's place was in the home .
So many things are covered here – education for women, illegal abortion , WWI , the flu epidemic , prohibition , voting rights for women , women against lynching, child labor , orphan trains , women in the work place, but so many things felt glossed over in this short book
The writing style did not appeal to me as much as it did in Diamant's other novels that I've read, but I loved the characters and the independent spirit of these women that was depicted and the story that was told .
Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.
January 19, 2015
3.5 stars: The Boston Girl is a fine read. I particularly enjoyed it because I’ve lived in the Boston area for nearly 30 years. The local references were especially appealing to me. If a reader isn’t from the area, I think it might be a basically good historical fiction book, but I’m not sure if it would be a 4 star novel.
The novel is written in first person, as an eighty-five year old Grandmother talking to her Grand daughter. It’s like an interview answer after the Grand daughter asked: How did you get to be the woman you are today? The Grandmother, Adie Baum tells her story which involves the progress, and lack-there-of, the 20th century in the Boston area. Adie’s father moved to Boston from Russia in the late 1800’s with Adie’s two older sisters. Her mother was pregnant and came later. It’s a story of an immigrant family who lived in tenements in the North End of Boston.
Because I’ve been to the North End many times, and those who have, understand that it’s fairly preserved from colonial times. Diamant writes so well that you can see in your mind exactly what she writing. It’s like being a fly on the wall. Diamant captures what it would have been like to be Addie, with all the restrictions and frustrations. Diamant creates Addie as a woman before her time. Addie wanted to be above her station in life; she was frustrated with how being a woman held her back. She rose above her poverty, but was held back by old fashion ideas, especially her own Mother’s ideas.
This is a great historical fiction book of the plight of Boston women in the 1900’s. Diamant is a talented writer. The story is engrossing and enriching. It’s worth the time to read.
The novel is written in first person, as an eighty-five year old Grandmother talking to her Grand daughter. It’s like an interview answer after the Grand daughter asked: How did you get to be the woman you are today? The Grandmother, Adie Baum tells her story which involves the progress, and lack-there-of, the 20th century in the Boston area. Adie’s father moved to Boston from Russia in the late 1800’s with Adie’s two older sisters. Her mother was pregnant and came later. It’s a story of an immigrant family who lived in tenements in the North End of Boston.
Because I’ve been to the North End many times, and those who have, understand that it’s fairly preserved from colonial times. Diamant writes so well that you can see in your mind exactly what she writing. It’s like being a fly on the wall. Diamant captures what it would have been like to be Addie, with all the restrictions and frustrations. Diamant creates Addie as a woman before her time. Addie wanted to be above her station in life; she was frustrated with how being a woman held her back. She rose above her poverty, but was held back by old fashion ideas, especially her own Mother’s ideas.
This is a great historical fiction book of the plight of Boston women in the 1900’s. Diamant is a talented writer. The story is engrossing and enriching. It’s worth the time to read.
October 22, 2015
Anita Diamant is best known for her book The Red Tent which I thoroughly enjoyed. I cannot say the same for this one.
The novel is presented as a monologue delivered by 85-year-old Addie Baum in response to her granddaughter’s question about how she got to be the woman she is. She chronicles her life in Boston from her birth in 1900 to Jewish immigrants to her marriage in 1927. These years are covered in great detail, but her life after her marriage is glossed over.
The book is dull. It is a plain and predictable recounting of her life: this happened and then this happened and then this happened . . . Things happen to Addie’s family and friends but not to her. At a young age, she is recognized as someone possessing intelligence and “gumption” (15) and so acquires mentors and a circle of sympathetic friends who support her so she is never without a job or a place to live. When tragedies occur in her family, she seems largely detached; she describes her feelings, but she seems to recover quickly. The result is one dull anecdote after another with no suspense since nothing dramatic happens in her life. And once she is married, nothing noteworthy occurs?!
To add to the predictability, the chapter titles clearly indicate what is going to happen. Merely reading the titles will tell a reader what happens in Addie’s life: “You must be the smart one” (47), “Maybe I wouldn’t be a wallflower after all” (65), “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” (115), “I was still gun-shy about men” (143), “A girl should always have her own money” (165), and “This is Auntie Addie’s fella” (249).
The years 1915 to 1927 included some significant world events, yet Addie barely mentions some of them; as a historical narrative, the book does not succeed, although people familiar with Boston might be interested in some of the historical local colour.
The one thing that does stand out is Addie’s voice. Her tone is convincingly conversational and she speaks very frankly to her granddaughter. She can be witty and humourous. Unfortunately, she doesn’t offer any new wisdom; she tells her grandchild, “Don’t let anyone tell you things aren’t better than they used to be” (291). True but trite.
This book is lacking in substance, a shortcoming that means it will not be memorable.
Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
The novel is presented as a monologue delivered by 85-year-old Addie Baum in response to her granddaughter’s question about how she got to be the woman she is. She chronicles her life in Boston from her birth in 1900 to Jewish immigrants to her marriage in 1927. These years are covered in great detail, but her life after her marriage is glossed over.
The book is dull. It is a plain and predictable recounting of her life: this happened and then this happened and then this happened . . . Things happen to Addie’s family and friends but not to her. At a young age, she is recognized as someone possessing intelligence and “gumption” (15) and so acquires mentors and a circle of sympathetic friends who support her so she is never without a job or a place to live. When tragedies occur in her family, she seems largely detached; she describes her feelings, but she seems to recover quickly. The result is one dull anecdote after another with no suspense since nothing dramatic happens in her life. And once she is married, nothing noteworthy occurs?!
To add to the predictability, the chapter titles clearly indicate what is going to happen. Merely reading the titles will tell a reader what happens in Addie’s life: “You must be the smart one” (47), “Maybe I wouldn’t be a wallflower after all” (65), “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” (115), “I was still gun-shy about men” (143), “A girl should always have her own money” (165), and “This is Auntie Addie’s fella” (249).
The years 1915 to 1927 included some significant world events, yet Addie barely mentions some of them; as a historical narrative, the book does not succeed, although people familiar with Boston might be interested in some of the historical local colour.
The one thing that does stand out is Addie’s voice. Her tone is convincingly conversational and she speaks very frankly to her granddaughter. She can be witty and humourous. Unfortunately, she doesn’t offer any new wisdom; she tells her grandchild, “Don’t let anyone tell you things aren’t better than they used to be” (291). True but trite.
This book is lacking in substance, a shortcoming that means it will not be memorable.
Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
June 17, 2016
"The Boston Girl" is both the tale of an immigrant family making a new life in America, and the story of a young girl turning into a spunky, ambitious Twentieth Century woman. When Addie Baum's granddaughter asked her how she got to be the woman she is today, Addie goes back to when she and her family lived in the North End of Boston. Her Jewish Russian immigrant parents had a difficult time adapting to America, especially her cranky mother. Born in 1900, Addie's intelligence and independence were sparked when she joined a library group for girls at a settlement house. Addie reminisces about important friends and mentors, first loves, World War I, the deaths of dear relatives in the 1918 influenza epidemic, her jobs, education for women, meeting her husband, and child labor issues. She's living at a time when opportunities for women were first opening up.
The story is told in a simple narration, a relaxed read that would be appropriate for young adults as well as adults. It took a while for Addie's story to draw me in, but by the end of the book I realized how many important events and social problems Addie had witnessed. Although it is a bit predictable, the story is charming with the likable Addie at its center. 3.5 stars.
The story is told in a simple narration, a relaxed read that would be appropriate for young adults as well as adults. It took a while for Addie's story to draw me in, but by the end of the book I realized how many important events and social problems Addie had witnessed. Although it is a bit predictable, the story is charming with the likable Addie at its center. 3.5 stars.
February 26, 2016
This is one of the best books about jewish life in the 20th century I have read to date . Yes Anita diamant is an excellent writer and I have bought more of her books since reading this one and I want her to keep writing LOL . Seriously you guys this book and the charecters stayed with me long after I finished the book . I could not put it down and did not want to put it down once I opened it and believe me when I say it was hard to stop reading it . I fell in love with these people aka charecters in this book and they are now a part of me and I think wow I wish these people were real and my neighbors . I kid you not . This book is so worth the read .
July 18, 2018
Find this and other reviews at: https://historicalfictionreader.blogs...
I picked up Anita Diamant’s The Boston Girl as an in-between read, you know, one of those titles you crack open to ‘cleanse the palate’ between heavier fare? I was in the market for something light and it looked like it’d fit the bill so I pulled it up on my kindle and dug in. I’d no expectations and had no prior experience with the author’s work, so I was a surprised as anyone when the novel swept me clean off my feet.
The book is written in the first person and as a result, feels intensely intimate. Addie is an irresistibly candid character with a sparkling sense of humor and her earnest account of her life experiences grant the novel a unique degree of emotional depth. I read historic fiction for the history, but even I can’t deny that the emotional elements of the story are what set The Boston Girl apart.
Thematically the book has a lot going on and I admire how it explores immigration as a long-term prospect with implications that ripple across generations. Addie grows up in a family environment that is rooted in old world traditions, but the multicultural neighborhood of Boston’s North End has an influence all its own. Addie is a product of both and I think the novel invites understanding of what that experience really means for those who live it.
Heartfelt and emotive, The Boston Girl isn’t to be missed. A beautiful and highly recommended read.
I picked up Anita Diamant’s The Boston Girl as an in-between read, you know, one of those titles you crack open to ‘cleanse the palate’ between heavier fare? I was in the market for something light and it looked like it’d fit the bill so I pulled it up on my kindle and dug in. I’d no expectations and had no prior experience with the author’s work, so I was a surprised as anyone when the novel swept me clean off my feet.
The book is written in the first person and as a result, feels intensely intimate. Addie is an irresistibly candid character with a sparkling sense of humor and her earnest account of her life experiences grant the novel a unique degree of emotional depth. I read historic fiction for the history, but even I can’t deny that the emotional elements of the story are what set The Boston Girl apart.
Thematically the book has a lot going on and I admire how it explores immigration as a long-term prospect with implications that ripple across generations. Addie grows up in a family environment that is rooted in old world traditions, but the multicultural neighborhood of Boston’s North End has an influence all its own. Addie is a product of both and I think the novel invites understanding of what that experience really means for those who live it.
Heartfelt and emotive, The Boston Girl isn’t to be missed. A beautiful and highly recommended read.
September 29, 2022
Addie Baum is being interviewed by her granddaughter, Ava, about her life. The narrative is told in first person from Addie’s perspective. She was born in the US after her Jewish family emigrated from eastern Europe in the 1890s. It reads as a “fictional memoir” of all the events that occurred in during 1900 to 1985 from one woman’s viewpoint. It touches on the many difficulties faced by women of those times such as limited educational opportunities, marriage and motherhood pressures, and workplace inequalities. The characters come across as authentic and the historic eras are accurately depicted. It is told in a straight-forward manner. Though Addie’s life has its share of tragedies, it is also infused with humor and compassion. I very much enjoyed this story of courage, determination, and overcoming obstacles.
February 9, 2015
Simple but engrossing tale. I loved the style of writing. The way Addie was telling her story to her granddaughter, made me remember my youth. I've always loved hearing stories of the past. Even as a young child of 6 &7, I loved visiting my Aunt Violet and listening to hear her talk. Some would have found that boring spending hours with an "old" person speak of the olden times but I have always found it fascinating. So this book was right up my alley---made me remember good times well spent with someone special and a day spent with a good book:)
September 25, 2014
I enjoyed this novel. It's told through the eyes of 85 year old Addie, a jewish immigrant, growing up in early 20th century Boston. Her granddaughter has asked her "How did you get to be the woman you are today?" Addie states "It all started in that library, in the reading club. That's where I started to be my own person."
The novel continues through many historical events; WWI, sweatshops, the Great Depression, the flu epidemic, feminism, and more. I really enjoyed reading of the transformation happening in women's lives. When Addie tries on her first pair of pants she discovers her whole body feels different. Saying "It makes me want to try riding a bicycle and ice skating and all kind of things." When asked what kind of other things, she says "I'd go to college." Nonetheless, the novel is mostly about day to day life with family and friends.
I thought this was such a simple story, and found myself a little bored at times. However, looking back, I discovered what is most important to us all. Instead of focusing on the historical events, as they weren't historical at the time, it shows how our connections to friends and family truly are the most meaningful and important aspect of our lives.
The novel continues through many historical events; WWI, sweatshops, the Great Depression, the flu epidemic, feminism, and more. I really enjoyed reading of the transformation happening in women's lives. When Addie tries on her first pair of pants she discovers her whole body feels different. Saying "It makes me want to try riding a bicycle and ice skating and all kind of things." When asked what kind of other things, she says "I'd go to college." Nonetheless, the novel is mostly about day to day life with family and friends.
I thought this was such a simple story, and found myself a little bored at times. However, looking back, I discovered what is most important to us all. Instead of focusing on the historical events, as they weren't historical at the time, it shows how our connections to friends and family truly are the most meaningful and important aspect of our lives.
August 11, 2015
Possibly the worst, most sentimental piece of claptrap shit I have read in a great while. This book calls into question a million basic questions of craft. Here are a few of the most relevant:
1. Why insist on the grandma-telling-young-granddaughter-the-ways-of-the-world trope? Addie's story of growing up in a time of prescribed roles for women and her own striving to break away is fodder enough for a novel without this annoying frame.
2. Has Diamant heard of "SHOW, DON'T TELL?" I get that her book is supposed to be an old lady telling her memories to her granddaughter but this just reads as a major cop-out to any reader of literary fiction. Come ON! Adding in not-funny asides to an imaginary granddaughter does not substantiate your choice to write a "novel" that is basically a first-draft stream of conscious narrative bound and sold by your no-good publishers.
3. Is Addie a robot? A moron? Why does she learn NOTHING throughout the novel and basically luck into a marriage with a good dude?
I've never been so glad to return a book to the library.
1. Why insist on the grandma-telling-young-granddaughter-the-ways-of-the-world trope? Addie's story of growing up in a time of prescribed roles for women and her own striving to break away is fodder enough for a novel without this annoying frame.
2. Has Diamant heard of "SHOW, DON'T TELL?" I get that her book is supposed to be an old lady telling her memories to her granddaughter but this just reads as a major cop-out to any reader of literary fiction. Come ON! Adding in not-funny asides to an imaginary granddaughter does not substantiate your choice to write a "novel" that is basically a first-draft stream of conscious narrative bound and sold by your no-good publishers.
3. Is Addie a robot? A moron? Why does she learn NOTHING throughout the novel and basically luck into a marriage with a good dude?
I've never been so glad to return a book to the library.
September 28, 2014
4.5 stars
I received this book from Netgalley.
This is a wonderful book that draws you in immediately. Addie Baum is an 85 year old woman who tells her granddaughter the story of her youth and how it shaped her. The daughter of Jewish Russian immigrants she literally made her own way in life with her gutsy, unique choices. The family lived in a tenement and thanks to her older sisters sacrifices she was able to continue in school long after her parents wanted her out and working.
She was really brave in making new friends and exploring new opportunities all opposed by her mother. Her mother wanted such a restrictive life for her. Marriage and work in a small factory were her mother's goals for her. How she handles this with grace and love really warms the heart. Through it all the family bonds remain so strong and the daughters take such good care of the parents.
It's a short read and there's nothing monumental in it but you really get to know and like Addie Baum. I feel like I really know her and am her friend. She's a great person to spend time with. I highly recommend this touching story.
I received this book from Netgalley.
This is a wonderful book that draws you in immediately. Addie Baum is an 85 year old woman who tells her granddaughter the story of her youth and how it shaped her. The daughter of Jewish Russian immigrants she literally made her own way in life with her gutsy, unique choices. The family lived in a tenement and thanks to her older sisters sacrifices she was able to continue in school long after her parents wanted her out and working.
She was really brave in making new friends and exploring new opportunities all opposed by her mother. Her mother wanted such a restrictive life for her. Marriage and work in a small factory were her mother's goals for her. How she handles this with grace and love really warms the heart. Through it all the family bonds remain so strong and the daughters take such good care of the parents.
It's a short read and there's nothing monumental in it but you really get to know and like Addie Baum. I feel like I really know her and am her friend. She's a great person to spend time with. I highly recommend this touching story.
Read
December 11, 2020“How did you get to be the person you are today?” So begins the novel of The Boston Girl. Addie Baum is one of three daughters born to Jewish-Russian immigrants. The book tells about her growing up in the late 1890’s – early 1900’s and her will to try new things; always wishing and hoping for her mother’s approval.
You will completely fall in love with Addie and cheer for her when she discovers her wings! Once you start this you won’t want to put it down. The novel is filled with historical occurrences and many learning experiences as you can imagine for any girl growing up in that time period. This is a sweet story and it reminded me of the novel Brooklyn.
I listened to the audiobook on this one which was read by Linda Lavin. You might remember her from the television sitcom Alice. She is completely entertaining and made me want to sit in my car well after I had arrived at my destination. This would make a nice book club read for adults and young adults alike. – Pamela B.
You will completely fall in love with Addie and cheer for her when she discovers her wings! Once you start this you won’t want to put it down. The novel is filled with historical occurrences and many learning experiences as you can imagine for any girl growing up in that time period. This is a sweet story and it reminded me of the novel Brooklyn.
I listened to the audiobook on this one which was read by Linda Lavin. You might remember her from the television sitcom Alice. She is completely entertaining and made me want to sit in my car well after I had arrived at my destination. This would make a nice book club read for adults and young adults alike. – Pamela B.
December 6, 2014
This book was EXACTLY like the big immigrant family sagas I used to love in my teens, by people like Belva Plain and Howard Fast. Nothing fancy, an OK story, a bit of history thrown in. 1919? Uh oh, here comes the flu! 1922? Boom, everyone's bobbing their hair!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,884 reviews