'Middlesex' by Jeffrey Eugenides

[blushingmilk]

I really loved this book, even though its subject matter made me queasy and hesitant to pick it up (the narrator of the story is a hermaphrodite born to a family connected by incestuous relations and the entire book is about him/her and how the incestuous relations came about/what happened after) but i'm so glad that in the end, I swallowed my bile and read it. Its funny, poignant and eye-opening - just beautiful the whole way through. Not a perfect book, but it is amazing.

If anyone needs credentials to make up their mind it is recommended by 'Oprah's Book Club' and by the guy who wrote 'The Virgin Suicides', if that helps.

[Scott]

That's interesting subject matter. I might pick that book up. I'll feel silly if anyone asks me what it is about while I am reading it.

[clarebear]

This sounds like something I'd enjoy. I loved the Virgin Suicides.

[blushingmilk]

That's interesting subject matter. I might pick that book up. I'll feel silly if anyone asks me what it is about while I am reading it.

Just tell 'em that they'll understand once they've read it. and drop the fact that its pulitzer prize-winning if you have to (i think thats the award it got)

[clarebear]

I just bought this book on amazon. I will let you know what I think once I've read, can't wait to read it though.

[blushingmilk]

I just bought this book on amazon. I will let you know what I think once I've read, can't wait to read it though.

awesommmeee!

[Hope]

In brief, what is the book about?
I heard that it was in Oprah's book club ..

[blushingmilk]

In brief, what is the book about?
I heard that it was in Oprah's book club ..

I wrote what the book is about in my first post...but if thats too brief, there should be a satisfying synopsis on amazon.com

[RoWLvr]

Just by the title, I was always questioned with this book, and I always pulled the, "It's on the Oprah's Book Club list" line. To my defense, it really was a great book. The author did his research, and at the end I left with new knowledge of the intersex population.

[sweetos]

a very good read. it's witty and quite informative. truly deserving of the pulitzer prize

[Tracey Neal]

Blushingmilk! Excellent read love! I don't find the subject matter queasy and hesitant at all..but thats just me, more eye opening and thought provoking. This is a very good read in my opinion. (If!) One is up for the challenge! Me?? I live for the challenge!! Come to mama

[mumtobcwa]

Very interesting. My husband owns this and when i asked about it he said i would'nt like it but after reading what you have written, i am going to look for it. I think i might enjoy it after all

[clarebear]

I read it and unfortunatly didn't really enjoy it. I just didn't like the style of writing. It seemed very long and drawn out to me. And the jumping around between time periods annoyed me a little.
Which is strange seeing as I really liked the Virgin Suicides. Each to their own though!

[Butterbescotch]

Haha, That proves clarebear. We really have different taste. As for me I hated "The Virgin Suicides" but I am reading "Middlesex" and it is quite good.

I like the narrator. S/he is engaging. The book is well-written.

- - - - - - - - - -

Question:

I'm in the Book One. I'm just confused when Cal said "My grandmother began to matchmake".

What do the author mean by matchmake? All I can see was Desdomona saw some events from her beads.[/b]

[Maud Fitch]

Question: I'm in the Book One. I'm just confused when Cal said "My grandmother began to matchmake".

What do the author mean by matchmake? All I can see was Desdomona saw some events from her beads.[/b]

To 'matchmake' is to get two people together with the goal of marriage. A 'matchmaker' is usually an older person who encourages two younger people to fall in love. She may have seen their future in her beads.