At lunch, we filled up on a healthy green salad topped with grilled chicken and pickled okra on the side. Our sweet tooth was satisfied with peanut brittle and cookies.
Synopsis:
Gift From the Sea - Anne Morrow Lindbergh spent time alone on a Florida beach rediscovering herself and the truths regarding the life of a wife, mother, daughter, and woman in modern times.
The Aviator's Wife - Melanie Benjamin attempts to fill in the gaps between the public image and the unseen private moments of the Charles Lindbergh family. Read through the eyes of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, the story follows their short courtship, adventurous flights around the world as husband and wife, tragic murder of their firstborn, and the struggles of Anne to find her voice in a narrative which was overshadowed by her domineering famous husband. In the end it's a story which proves that every hero will eventually fall from the lofty heights of adoration as admirers realize that their heroes' flaws and weaknesses are no less than their own.
Comments:
We first discussed Gift From the Sea. There was a strong consensus among our group that this book would be best categorized as a self-help book and most likely appealed to that generation of women who did not discuss the private struggles of their marriage, kids, and self. Although relevant to women today, it's most likely that the women of that time period felt a strong kinship with the author because Anne expressed so much of what they felt or were struggling with but were still trapped behind the mask of perfection. We agreed that women of today find it more accepting and permissible to admit failures and struggles in their variety of roles. We thought it was probably a cathartic literary work for Anne Lindbergh, too. The downside was that we found the book to be repetitive - overall it was the same broad message but delivered in a variety of ways.
The Aviator's Wife offered us a glimpse into the private life of the Lindberghs and it was not always a pretty picture. Charles Lindbergh was strong, determined, and a leader. Those same qualities which gave him courage to do what was considered impossible - cross the vast Atlantic Ocean in the Spirit of St. Louis - were the same qualities which made him difficult to live with as a husband and father. He cared more for his public image than his family's well-being. We determined that he loved as much as he was capable, no thanks to his cold, unloving mother. It was disappointing to learn that he had other children with women on the European continent. His idea of building the Lindbergh dynasty meant that the 5 children he and Anne had together was not enough. We are convinced that the Nazi ideals that Charles espoused played a large role in his desire to build his progeny dynasty.
Anne was in love with the public image of Charles Lindbergh. She married America's hero without ever knowing the real man. We found Anne's mother to be a wise advisor to Anne, especially when she spoke these words: "You need to stop looking for heroes, Anne....Only the weak need heroes and heroes need those around them to remain weak. You're not weak." (p.288-Nook) Anne's marriage and her kids suffered for Charles' lack of emotional attachment and display of affections. After many years of marriage, Anne did finally find her true north and experienced the joy of falling in love during her affair with Dr. Atchley. Anne was a strong woman, but she did not recognize her strengths until much later in her life. "Were we women always destined to appear as we were not, as long as we were standing next to our husbands? I'd gone from college to the cockpit without a chance to decide who I was on my own, but so far, I was only grateful to Charles for saving me from that decision, for giving me direction when I had none." (p.150 - Nook)
Anne's opposing mix of personality traits consisting of fear and courage, and meekness and boldness was understood by us. Our jobs change with passing years and so our strengths and weaknesses take turns playing leading roles as we meet the needs of our loved ones. We related to Anne's statement on p.115: "If I were married to a physician, I would be Mrs. Doctor. If I were married to an attorney, I would be Mrs. Lawyer. No married woman had a separate identity, not even my own mother, with all her education and energy. She was the senator's wife, first and foremost. That I was married to an aviator made me different but no less dependent on my husband." How often have we been introduced as so-and-so's mom or so-and-so's daughter, as well as so-and-so's wife, but not introduced by our given name? Often enough to relate!
Memorable Quote:
"Jealousy is a terrible thing. It keeps you up at night, it demands tremendous energy in order to remain alive, and so you have to want to feed it, nurture it--and by so wanting, you have to acknowledge that you are a bitter, petty person. It changes you. It changes the way you view the world; minor irritations become major catastrophes; celebrations become trials." (p.280 - Nook)
FAB Rating: **** (4 out of 5 stars) - for The Aviator's Wife
This story was so revealing to us as we peeked behind the front door of the world famous Lindbergh family's home. Although a fictional story, our group agreed that we were convinced by the author's research, and interviews, and historical documents that the book most likely hit as close to the truth as possible for an unrelated outside observer.
