Reviews
A geriatric stepfather falls in love with a scheming woman half his age in Schine's Sense and Sensibility -flecked and compulsively readable follow-up to The New Yorkers . Betty Weissman is 75 when Joseph, her husband of nearly 50 years, announces he's divorcing her. Soon, Betty moves out of their grand Central Park West apartment and Joseph's conniving girlfriend, Felicity, moves in. Betty lands in a rundown Westport, Conn., beach cottage, but things quickly get more complicated when Betty's daughters run into their own problems. Literary agent Miranda is sued into bankruptcy after it's revealed that some of her authors made up their lurid memoirs, and Annie, drowning in debt, can no longer afford her apartment. Once they relocate to Westport, both girls fall in love--Annie rather awkwardly with the brother of her stepfather's paramour, and Miranda with a younger actor who has a young son. An Austen-esque mischief hovers over these romantic relationships as the three women figure out how to survive and thrive. It's a smart crowd pleaser with lovably flawed leads and the best tearjerker finale you're likely to read this year., "Schine's homage to Jane Austen has it all....A sparkling, crisp, clever, deft, hilarious, and deeply affecting new novel, her best yet . . . Schine is clearly a writer who loves to read as much as she loves to write. And it is great fun to play English major with her." --Dominique Browning, The New York Times Book Review "Schine has been favored in so many ways by the muse of comedy . . . The Three Weissmanns of Westport is full of invention, wit, and wisdom that can bear comparison to Austen's own." -- The New York Review of Books "A success...Sharp-edged satire." --Marion Winik, The Miami Herald "A clever, frothy novel...Schine playfully probes the lies, self-deceptions, and honorable hearts of her characters." -- The New Yorker "Schine sets the Austen machinery in perfect forward motion, and then works some lovely modern changes, keeping the pace going at a lively clip . . . Spotting the similarities and differences between the early 19th century and early 21st century stories is good sport, but the greater pleasure comes from Schine's own clever girls and their awkward attempts to find happiness." -- The Boston Globe "There is so much zest for life in this novel that you can only imagine how much fun Cathleen Schine had writing it." -- Carol Memmott, USA Today "Absolutely wonderful. You'll turn each page with anticipation, all the while wishing you could read it slowly in order to savor the deliciousness of Schine's particular sensibility....It will warm the center of your heart." --Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olive Kitteridge "Swap genteel nineteenth-century England for upscale contemporary Connecticut, add two sisters--one impulsive, one practical--and stir with lively doses of romance, domestic discord, sudden setbacks, and sublime surprises, and you get Cathleen Schine's homage to Jane Austen." -- Elle "No Cathleen Schine book is without wit and sharply observed moments." -- The Wall Street Journal "A geriatric stepfather falls in love with a scheming woman half his age in Schine's Sense and Sensibility -flecked and compulsively readable follow-up to The New Yorkers ... It's a smart crowd pleaser with lovably flawed leads and the best tearjerker finale you're likely to read this year." -- Publishers Weekly, Absolutely wonderful. You'll turn each page with anticipation, all the while wishing you could read it slowly in order to savor the deliciousness of Schine's particular sensibility....It will warm the center of your heart., Schine has been favored in so many ways by the muse of comedy . . . The Three Weissmanns of Westport is full of invention, wit, and wisdom that can bear comparison to Austen's own., "Schine's homage to Jane Austen has it all....A sparkling, crisp, clever, deft, hilarious, and deeply affecting new novel, her best yet . . . Schine is clearly a writer who loves to read as much as she loves to write. And it is great fun to play English major with her." -- Dominique Browning, The New York Times Book Review "Schine has been favored in so many ways by the muse of comedy . . . The Three Weissmanns of Westport is full of invention, wit, and wisdom that can bear comparison to Austen's own." -- The New York Review of Books "A success...Sharp-edged satire." -- Marion Winik, The Miami Herald "A clever, frothy novel...Schine playfully probes the lies, self-deceptions, and honorable hearts of her characters." -- The New Yorker "Schine sets the Austen machinery in perfect forward motion, and then works some lovely modern changes, keeping the pace going at a lively clip . . . Spotting the similarities and differences between the early 19th century and early 21st century stories is good sport, but the greater pleasure comes from Schine's own clever girls and their awkward attempts to find happiness." -- The Boston Globe "There is so much zest for life in this novel that you can only imagine how much fun Cathleen Schine had writing it." -- Carol Memmott, USA Today "Absolutely wonderful. You'll turn each page with anticipation, all the while wishing you could read it slowly in order to savor the deliciousness of Schine's particular sensibility....It will warm the center of your heart." -- Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olive Kitteridge "Swap genteel nineteenth-century England for upscale contemporary Connecticut, add two sisters--one impulsive, one practical--and stir with lively doses of romance, domestic discord, sudden setbacks, and sublime surprises, and you get Cathleen Schine's homage to Jane Austen." -- Elle "No Cathleen Schine book is without wit and sharply observed moments." -- The Wall Street Journal "A geriatric stepfather falls in love with a scheming woman half his age in Schine's Sense and Sensibility -flecked and compulsively readable follow-up to The New Yorkers . Betty Weissman is 75 when Joseph, her husband of nearly 50 years, announces he's divorcing her. Soon, Betty moves out of their grand Central Park West apartment and Joseph's conniving girlfriend, Felicity, moves in. Betty lands in a rundown Westport, Conn., beach cottage, but things quickly get more complicated when Betty's daughters run into their own problems. Literary agent Miranda is sued into bankruptcy after it's revealed that some of her authors made up their lurid memoirs, and Annie, drowning in debt, can no longer afford her apartment. Once they relocate to Westport, both girls fall in love--Annie rather awkwardly with the brother of her stepfather's paramour, and Miranda with a younger actor who has a young son. An Austen-esque mischief hovers over these romantic relationships as the three women figure out how to survive and thrive. It's a smart crowd pleaser with lovably flawed leads and the best tearjerker finale you're likely to read this year." -- Publishers Weekly, There is so much zest for life in this novel that you can only imagine how much fun Cathleen Schine had writing it., Schine sets the Austen machinery in perfect forward motion, and then works some lovely modern changes, keeping the pace going at a lively clip . . . Spotting the similarities and differences between the early 19th century and early 21st century stories is good sport, but the greater pleasure comes from Schine's own clever girls and their awkward attempts to find happiness., "Schine's homage to Jane Austen has it all....A sparkling, crisp, clever, deft, hilarious, and deeply affecting new novel, her best yet ... Schine is clearly a writer who loves to read as much as she loves to write. And it is great fun to play English major with her." -Dominique Browning, The New York Times Book Review "Schine has been favored in so many ways by the muse of comedy... The Three Weissmanns of Westport is full of invention, wit, and wisdom that can bear comparison to Austen's own." -The New York Review of Books "A success...Sharp-edged satire." -Marion Winik, The Miami Herald "A clever, frothy novel...Schine playfully probes the lies, self-deceptions, and honorable hearts of her characters." -The New Yorker "Schine sets the Austen machinery in perfect forward motion, and then works some lovely modern changes, keeping the pace going at a lively clip... Spotting the similarities and differences between the early 19th century and early 21st century stories is good sport, but the greater pleasure comes from Schine's own clever girls and their awkward attempts to find happiness." -The Boston Globe "There is so much zest for life in this novel that you can only imagine how much fun Cathleen Schine had writing it." -Carol Memmott, USA Today "Absolutely wonderful. You'll turn each page with anticipation, all the while wishing you could read it slowly in order to savor the deliciousness of Schine's particular sensibility....It will warm the center of your heart." -Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olive Kitteridge "Swap genteel nineteenth-century England for upscale contemporary Connecticut, add two sisters-one impulsive, one practical-and stir with lively doses of romance, domestic discord, sudden setbacks, and sublime surprises, and you get Cathleen Schine's homage to Jane Austen." -Elle "No Cathleen Schine book is without wit and sharply observed moments." -The Wall Street Journal, "Schine's homage to Jane Austen has it all....A sparkling, crisp, clever, deft, hilarious, and deeply affecting new novel, her best yet . . . Schine is clearly a writer who loves to read as much as she loves to write. And it is great fun to play English major with her." -Dominique Browning, The New York Times Book Review "Schine has been favored in so many ways by the muse of comedy . . . The Three Weissmanns of Westport is full of invention, wit, and wisdom that can bear comparison to Austen's own." - The New York Review of Books "A success…Sharp-edged satire." -Marion Winik, The Miami Herald "A clever, frothy novel…Schine playfully probes the lies, self-deceptions, and honorable hearts of her characters." - The New Yorker "Schine sets the Austen machinery in perfect forward motion, and then works some lovely modern changes, keeping the pace going at a lively clip . . . Spotting the similarities and differences between the early 19th century and early 21st century stories is good sport, but the greater pleasure comes from Schine's own clever girls and their awkward attempts to find happiness." - The Boston Globe "There is so much zest for life in this novel that you can only imagine how much fun Cathleen Schine had writing it." -Carol Memmott, USA Today "Absolutely wonderful. You'll turn each page with anticipation, all the while wishing you could read it slowly in order to savor the deliciousness of Schine's particular sensibility….It will warm the center of your heart." -Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olive Kitteridge "Swap genteel nineteenth-century England for upscale contemporary Connecticut, add two sisters-one impulsive, one practical-and stir with lively doses of romance, domestic discord, sudden setbacks, and sublime surprises, and you get Cathleen Schine's homage to Jane Austen." - Elle "No Cathleen Schine book is without wit and sharply observed moments." - The Wall Street Journal "A geriatric stepfather falls in love with a scheming woman half his age in Schine's Sense and Sensibility flecked and compulsively readable follow-up to The New Yorkers . Betty Weissman is 75 when Joseph, her husband of nearly 50 years, announces he's divorcing her. Soon, Betty moves out of their grand Central Park West apartment and Joseph's conniving girlfriend, Felicity, moves in. Betty lands in a rundown Westport, Conn., beach cottage, but things quickly get more complicated when Betty's daughters run into their own problems. Literary agent Miranda is sued into bankruptcy after it's revealed that some of her authors made up their lurid memoirs, and Annie, drowning in debt, can no longer afford her apartment. Once they relocate to Westport, both girls fall in love-Annie rather awkwardly with the brother of her stepfather's paramour, and Miranda with a younger actor who has a young son. An Austen-esque mischief hovers over these romantic relationships as the three women figure out how to survive and thrive. It's a smart crowd pleaser with lovably flawed leads and the best tearjerker finale you're likely to read this year." - Publishers Weekly, Swap genteel nineteenth-century England for upscale contemporary Connecticut, add two sisters--one impulsive, one practical--and stir with lively doses of romance, domestic discord, sudden setbacks, and sublime surprises, and you get Cathleen Schine's homage to Jane Austen., "Schine's homage to Jane Austen has it all....A sparkling, crisp, clever, deft, hilarious, and deeply affecting new novel, her best yet . . . Schine is clearly a writer who loves to read as much as she loves to write. And it is great fun to play English major with her." Dominique Browning, The New York Times Book Review "Schine has been favored in so many ways by the muse of comedy . . . The Three Weissmanns of Westport is full of invention, wit, and wisdom that can bear comparison to Austen's own." The New York Review of Books "A success...Sharp-edged satire." Marion Winik, The Miami Herald "A clever, frothy novel...Schine playfully probes the lies, self-deceptions, and honorable hearts of her characters." The New Yorker "Schine sets the Austen machinery in perfect forward motion, and then works some lovely modern changes, keeping the pace going at a lively clip . . . Spotting the similarities and differences between the early 19th century and early 21st century stories is good sport, but the greater pleasure comes from Schine's own clever girls and their awkward attempts to find happiness." The Boston Globe "There is so much zest for life in this novel that you can only imagine how much fun Cathleen Schine had writing it." Carol Memmott, USA Today "Absolutely wonderful. You'll turn each page with anticipation, all the while wishing you could read it slowly in order to savor the deliciousness of Schine's particular sensibility....It will warm the center of your heart." Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olive Kitteridge "Swap genteel nineteenth-century England for upscale contemporary Connecticut, add two sistersone impulsive, one practicaland stir with lively doses of romance, domestic discord, sudden setbacks, and sublime surprises, and you get Cathleen Schine's homage to Jane Austen." Elle "No Cathleen Schine book is without wit and sharply observed moments." The Wall Street Journal, "Schine's homage to Jane Austen has it all....A sparkling, crisp, clever, deft, hilarious, and deeply affecting new novel, her best yet . . . Schine is clearly a writer who loves to read as much as she loves to write. And it is great fun to play English major with her." Dominique Browning,The New York Times Book Review "Schine has been favored in so many ways by the muse of comedy . . .The Three Weissmanns of Westportis full of invention, wit, and wisdom that can bear comparison to Austen's own." The New York Review of Books "A success...Sharp-edged satire." Marion Winik,The Miami Herald "A clever, frothy novel...Schine playfully probes the lies, self-deceptions, and honorable hearts of her characters." The New Yorker "Schine sets the Austen machinery in perfect forward motion, and then works some lovely modern changes, keeping the pace going at a lively clip . . . Spotting the similarities and differences between the early 19th century and early 21st century stories is good sport, but the greater pleasure comes from Schine's own clever girls and their awkward attempts to find happiness." The Boston Globe "There is so much zest for life in this novel that you can only imagine how much fun Cathleen Schine had writing it." Carol Memmott,USAToday "Absolutely wonderful. You'll turn each page with anticipation, all the while wishing you could read it slowly in order to savor the deliciousness of Schine's particular sensibility....It will warm the center of your heart." Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize-winning author ofOlive Kitteridge "Swap genteel nineteenth-century England for upscale contemporary Connecticut, add two sistersone impulsive, one practicaland stir with lively doses of romance, domestic discord, sudden setbacks, and sublime surprises, and you get Cathleen Schine's homage to Jane Austen." Elle "No Cathleen Schine book is without wit and sharply observed moments." The Wall Street Journal, Schine's homage to Jane Austen has it all....A sparkling, crisp, clever, deft, hilarious, and deeply affecting new novel, her best yet . . . Schine is clearly a writer who loves to read as much as she loves to write. And it is great fun to play English major with her., A clever, frothy novel...Schine playfully probes the lies, self-deceptions, and honorable hearts of her characters., "Swap genteel nineteenth-century England for upscale contemporary Connecticut, add two sister - one impulsive, one practical - and stir with lively doses of romance, domestic discord, sudden setbacks, and sublime surprises, and you get Cathleen Schine's homage to Jane Austen . " - Elle "Schine sets the Austen machinery in perfect forward motion, and then works some lovely modern changes... but the greater pleasure comes from Schine's own clever [characters] and their awkward attempts to find happiness." - Boston Globe "A success... The sharp-edged satire and the lowdown slapstick of the book act as foils for its warm emotional center." - Miami Herald "There is so much zest for life in this novel that you can only imagine how much fun Cathleen Schine had writing it." - USA Today, "Swap genteel nineteenth-century England for upscale contemporary Connecticut, add two sister - one impulsive, one practical - and stir with lively doses of romance, domestic discord, sudden setbacks, and sublime surprises, and you get Cathleen Schine's homage to Jane Austen . " - Elle "Schine sets the Austen machinery in perfect forward motion, and then works some lovely modern changes_ but the greater pleasure comes from Schine's own clever [characters] and their awkward attempts to find happiness." - Boston Globe "A success_ The sharp-edged satire and the lowdown slapstick of the book act as foils for its warm emotional center." - Miami Herald "There is so much zest for life in this novel that you can only imagine how much fun Cathleen Schine had writing it." - USA Today