A Big Storm Knocked it Over (W&N Essentials)

This may be a great book, I don't know, I was put off by the F word on the second page. A pity, I really enjoyed her two non fiction food books.

I downloaded this because Cara Wall (The Dearly Beloved) mentioned Laurie Colwin as an influence and am very glad I did. It’s a shame there aren’t e-versions of all Colwin’s books. The story concerns two New York couples who are firm friends. They all have their things, but are making it in New York. Jane Louise and Edie met in college and banter beautifully with each other. Edie often thanks Jane Louise for hating her family for her. Jane Louise designs books and works with Sven, a predatory male on his third marriage. Despite his awfulness there’s something pure about his lust for unavailable women, especially when pregnant, as Jane Louise soon is, closely followed by Edie. Edie runs a catering business with her life partner Mokie, who’s black. Her family tries hard to believe that Mokie is not more than a business partner. They have interesting stories to tell about their rich clients. Jane Louise’s husband Teddy works to produce non-toxic household products and is scarred by his parents’ divorce and possibly by his service in Vietnam, but his love for her is straightforward and uncomplicated.Nothing terrible happens. These are the ordinary lives of people learning about work, marriage, families, pregnancy and parenthood both in the city and their beloved countryside. They’re very real and decent. A particular joy is the unassumingly witty way Jane Louise fends off Sven and various men she meets at her publishing house. Another is her wholehearted - if tired - response to motherhood. It’s a shame Colwin died early at age 48. Already a prolific author (who loved cooking), what else might she have produced had she lived? Lovely stuff from an author who obviously knew her subjects well. She had me looking up typefaces such as De Vinne.

I decided to buy all of her books for myself. I like to read them over and over. Her characters are priceless and her writing is exquisite. It is so sad that she died at age 42 because I know she would have written many more wonderful books.

Very good

I like all her books and will read this one on an upcoming trip!