Read First Before Buy Sleeping Arrangements Laura Shaine Cunningham
Rosie Shaine, mother of Cunningham's alter-ego, Lily, insists her husband is still fighting overseas four years after World War II has ended. Uncle Len, tall and thin as Lincoln, wears a pith helmet as he cooks popcorn and tuna croquettes in his pressure cooker. Lily's grandmother, "Etka from Minsk," steals Lily's clothes and jewelry and stashes them under her mattress in their shared bedroom.
What a cast of characters! Yet no matter how peculiar their appearance nor how inappropriate or predictable their behavior, each character in this book reflects a dignity and humanity that makes them larger than their foibles. All the more difficult to achieve when the family is her own, and their behaviors border on the bizarre.
One of my favorite things about this book is its intimate look at the secret language that springs up in families. One day Lily comes home to find her grandmother in distress, pacing, refusing to say what's wrong, until finally "she begins to `oikah' (`oikah' is a verb in our home, applicable when someone, usually Etka, begins to repeat `oy-yoy-yoy' by the hour)."
Laura Cunningham's gift -- and the charm of this book -- is her ability to transform the wild neuroses, annoying habits and predictability of her relatives into a portrait of abiding love and understanding. Under her deft hand, and with great helpings of hilarity, 1950's New York and this devoted family come alive.
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Like another reader, I was drawn to the unusual cover of this book--a sweet lil' girl's face superimposed over a faded shot of two older men--in these pedophiliactic times of Michael Jackson and Catholic priests, I assumed it was yet another sad story of abuse. Wronnnngg! This is so outrageously funny that you can almost laugh through the sad passages, while still appreciating the depth of tragedy that befell Shaine's unusual childhood. Her uncles really did sound like a couple of Marx brothers, but the love this odd family shared always shines. I'd teach it in my high school classes, but a few passages here and there probably make it questionable--although the haunting description of her continuing search for her father would resonate with many kids. A great find that I stumbled on while hunting for something else at B and Noble.
BalasHapusA life in the Bronx, April 25, 2002
BalasHapusLilly Shaine is an orphan being raised in the Bronx by her two bachelor uncles and her senile--sort of (imagine an 80 year Jewish Scarlet O'Hara)grandmother. Her uncles know nothing about raising a child, decorating, laundry or cooking but as you'll see when you read this joyous memoir the "Unkies" as Lilly called them knew about love. I really enjoyed this sweet and sometimes frightening look at a NYC long gone by.
BalasHapus7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
BalasHapusWhat a surprise...the stories she tells of her childhood is so vivid, creative and spontaneous. As you picture Lily and her friend running through the streets of the Bronx, you want to run along with them...yet, you are also horrified at what they witness and experience. Her memoir shows that you can be innocent and knowing at the same time. Her family members are unique and quirky, but the bottom line is they love Lily, and take very good care of a little girl who never knew her father and lost her mother.
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BalasHapus5.0 out of 5 stars
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BalasHapusThis memoir that reads like a novel shows how a spirit can be resolute even in the midst of the most unorthodox unbringing. The fierce love of her deceased mother and the eccentric attentions of her bachelor uncles keeps Lily's spirit unflagging. She remembers in extraordinary detail the sometimes bizarre, occasionally painful and often hilarious incidents of her unusual life. One of those books that draws the reader into its unique universe; the details stay with you. Too bad Cunningham isn't more prolific.
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BalasHapusThe Marx Uncles' "A Night at the Soap Opera", January 20, 2004
BalasHapusHeartbreaking and loving tribute to an unconventional family, April 5, 1999
BalasHapusBy A Customer
BalasHapus17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
BalasHapusI loved it. Lily's world is peopled by memorable characters, from her earliest childhood friends, to her wacky but loving uncles and grandmother who step in to raise her when her mother dies. She recreates the bygone world of the up and coming Bronx of the 1950s. Her vivid recollections, so wittingly relayed, make this a real charmer.
BalasHapusA most beautifully written, moving, touching, funny book!, October 14, 1999
BalasHapusRosie Shaine, mother of Cunningham's alter-ego, Lily, insists her husband is still fighting overseas four years after World War II has ended. Uncle Len, tall and thin as Lincoln, wears a pith helmet as he cooks popcorn and tuna croquettes in his pressure cooker. Lily's grandmother, "Etka from Minsk," steals Lily's clothes and jewelry and stashes them under her mattress in their shared bedroom.What a cast of characters! Yet no matter how peculiar their appearance nor how inappropriate or predictable their behavior, each character in this book reflects a dignity and humanity that makes them larger than their foibles. All the more difficult to achieve when the family is her own, and their behaviors border on the bizarre.One of my favorite things about this book is its intimate look at the secret language that springs up in families. One day Lily comes home to find her grandmother in distress, pacing, refusing to say what's wrong, until finally "she begins to `oikah' (`oikah' is a verb in our home, applicable when someone, usually Etka, begins to repeat `oy-yoy-yoy' by the hour)."Laura Cunningham's gift -- and the charm of this book -- is her ability to transform the wild neuroses, annoying habits and predictability of her relatives into a portrait of abiding love and understanding. Under her deft hand, and with great helpings of hilarity, 1950's New York and this devoted family come alive.
BalasHapusLaura Cunningham's book starting with her early life with her mother is so infused with symbiotic love it will take your breath away. When her mother dies, she is only 8 years old with no visible support system and no father. Her two bachelor uncles, true eccentrics, take on her care lovingly if not clumsily. They are intelligent and gentle, not of this world. Their way of looking at people and life with break your heart. I could not put the book down and finished it within hours. I laughed out loud at her ability to tell her story, and yet often was so moved by her heartache I had tears in my eyes. I am now looking for everything that Laura Cunnhingham has written and have become a big fan. Do not miss this one!
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BalasHapusI am so knocked out by this book! I cannot believe that it hasn't received more recognition. Laura Cunningham is an incredibly talented writer and her description of her life as a child in Brooklyn is so...heart-wrenchingly beautiful, it has taken my breath away. Cannot recommend this book more highly. The subject matter may seem boring, but when you start reading, you will not be able to put it down. It is also laugh-out-loud funny...I mean REALLY funny. Go buy it, but forget about getting to sleep early.
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BalasHapus18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
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