When Joshua Henkin contacted me to see if I would be willing to review Matrimony AND host a holiday giveaway, I jumped at the chance! Matrimony was a 2007 New York Times Notable Book and has been getting great buzz on blogs I trust. It turns out the buzz was well earned.
THE BOOK
Julian Wainwright has arrived at college. He wants to be a writer, so he’s at Graymont College – rather than Yale, his father’s alma mater – to study under Professor Stephen Chesterfield. During freshman year he meets his best friend Carter Heinz and his wife-to-be Mia Mendelsohn. The book traces Julian from freshman romance to newly married, from unpublished writer to writing professor to Iowa Writers’ Workshop participant. It’s a realistic portrayal of married life that takes place in the fascinating world of academia.
I was very compelled by Julian’s story. I like that it showed a progression from college naivete to “settling down” into married life to midlife crisis. The characters were very interesting and well drawn, though I felt a little removed from them. I couldn’t tell whether it was the third person narration or what. Perhaps it’s as Janet Maslin noted in The New York Times, “this book takes a long view of [the characters] and sees that they are not easily thrown by even the most seemingly important crises.” In any case, this is a well-written, thought provoking book that is at once a bildungsroman, an exploration of what it means to be married, and a tale of one writer’s journey.
I would definitely recommend Matrimony. In fact, I think this book would be an excellent Christmas gift and an excellent book club selection. Henkin is willing to participate in book club discussions and there’s an excellent reading group guide available for download. I think you’ll enjoy this one.
Matrimony, by Joshua Henkin 
Other Reviews:
Age 30+ – A Lifetime of Books
B&B Ex Libris
Bermudaonion’s Weblog
Blue Archipelago
Book Addiction
Book Club Classics
Bookfoolery and Babble
Booking Mama
Bookroom Reviews
Books and Cooks
Books on the Brain
Care’s Online Book Club
Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’?
In Spring it is the Dawn
Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Reading Room
She is Too Fond of Books
Shelf Life
The Boston Bibliophile
The Hidden Side of a Leaf
The Inside Cover
The Literate Housewife
Michelle’s Reading Room
SMS Book Reviews
The 3 R’s: Reading, ‘Riting, and Randomness
Trish’s Reading Nook
Buy Matrimony
THE AUTHOR
Joshua Henkin is very active in the book blog community, has a cool website, and has done numerous guest posts around the blogosphere. Check them out:
Books on the Brain
Planet Books
Musings of a Bookish Kitty
The Elegant Variation (several posts)
Also check out this video of him talking about Matrimony.
THE GIVEAWAY
In Matrimony, Julian’s first novel is not given a title. To win a signed copy of Matrimony, please leave a comment on this post with a creative title for a novel – yours or Julian’s. I’ll announce the winner next week. The giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere in the world.
Related posts:
{ 12 comments }
I plan to write something in 2009 and the title is Ordinary Miracle, pretty normal but I really love how it sounds.
Thanks for the giveaway ; )
Well, I I was going to write a book about my life, I think I would call it “Tales from a Nursery School Drop-Out” or something similar. :)
-lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com
I also read and reviewed on my blog as well. I loved the book and the reality of the characters. Thanks for the review!
I’m not entering the contest, just wanted to tell you I reviewed Matrimony on my blog back in April if you want to link to it. It’s here
Here’s an all purpose, generic title to use in a pinch, “Insert Title Here.”
Please enter me to win.
nite-swimming at hotmail dot com
Here’s one I’ve thought of using personally.
Adventures of a Reluctant Children’s Librarian
Deidre
Oh, and my email is
deidre_durance at hotmail dot com
I keep hearing such good things about this book but haven’t managed to win it yet. Maybe this will be my lucky day! If I ever put all of my journals together to write about my family it would definitely be a comedy and the title would be “Mom’s Always Wright”. It’s much easier to remember the author that way! Thanks for your contest and happy holidays!
I have thoughts of a novel running through my head that I have yet tried to put on paper…I think it would be called “The Way Back to Me”.
Please enter me for a chance to win this…It would make a great gift for a member of my book club!
joannelong74@gmail.com
No need to enter me, I just wanted you to know that I blogged about your giveaway here:
http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2008/12/this-weeks-giveaways-galore_12.html
Please enter me. I would Love to win this book.
toni gomez AT surewest DOT net
I love a contest that is open to anyone in the world :) That sure gives me a chance too.
So would love to get this book after I read what you wrote about it
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