The Trouble with You - Ellen Feldman

The Trouble With You - Ellen Feldman

Pub. Date: Feb. 20, 2024

She read

 Although she attended one of the “sister” schools, Fanny was raised in a time when education for a woman was to prepare her for being a wife and mother.  Faced with the financial strain of raising a child on her own, she takes a job as a secretary for a very popular radio serial (never a “soap”!) and is soon faced with a situation in which she must choose between what is safe and what her conscience and her heart tell her to do. Fortunately, she has the influence of her Aunt Rose, a woman before her time, who provides sage advice and encourages her in all her pursuits.

I really liked this book and could not put it down.  It deals with very important historical issues: the role and treatment of women in the 1950s and McCarthyism and blacklisting.   I liked the characters and their evolvement over time. Well written, with touches of suspense, I don’t want to say much more about the story in order to avoid spoilers.  What really struck and frightened me in reading this was what happened in politics in the 1950s with McCarthyism and the fact that we are seeing some of the same behaviors and activities occurring today in our society. 

The timeframe of this book is the late 1940s through 1968, although most of the plot takes place in the 50s. There are some thought provoking topics here for book club discussions.

Thanks to #netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC. 

*****