Shreve, Anita. All He Ever Wanted.

Title: All He Ever Wanted
Author: Shreve, Anita

Publication Date: 2003

Number of Pages: 352
Genre: Women's Lives and Relationships, Literary Fiction
Geographical Setting: New England

Time Period: Late 1800's

Plot Summary: Nicholas Van Tassel is an educated, upstanding citizen. A professor at a small New England school, he meets Etna Bliss during a flurried escape from a burning hotel where they are both dining. Etna is the niece of Van Tassel's colleague, and through that connection he seeks to court her. Etna, both reserved and emotionally withdrawn, eventually allows herself to be courted and finally married by Van Tassel, who sees her as the ultimate love of his life. It is Nicholas' obsession with Etna that propels him forward in the relationship, even though he is aware that she does not return his amorous emotions. As years pass, Etna fails to reciprocate Nicholas' love, though she does bear him two children. Through a series of revealing meetings and letters, Etna's past and silent, passionate longings are unearthed, leading the novel to its unsettling close. Shreve's use of language reminds readers of the time period in which the book is set, with many eloquent descriptions and conversations. Readers may also enjoy the male viewpoint of the novel, as well as the many examples of correspondence between characters which give particular interest to the latter half of the book.

For Your Consideration: What brings a woman to marry a man for less than love? It is understandable that at the time period in which this book is set that women needed to marry for status, security, and necessity. It is very hard for me to understand a time when love was not the sole reason for entering into a marriage. And yet, that is a main focal point of this book. Nicholas was so bent on having Etna, that he didn't even care whether she felt the same way. It was enough for him to have her. But what about Etna? Was it really the best thing for Etna? Nicholas struck me as selfish and self-centered for this reason. By marrying Etna, he got to have the woman he so desired, the status that marriage brought him, the house, the children, and continue on with his teaching career. And the question remains: what about Etna? Was she wrong to want time away from the life to which she had more or less resigned herself? Was she so horrible for having a secret place to spend a few hours, to escape it? I think it is very difficult to answer these questions coming from a modern viewpoint. As a woman today, I would criticize Etna on her inability to communicate with her husband - even if he isn't the man that she truly loves. Perhaps if Etna had told her husband about the house, and her need for space, things would have turned out very differently. Any thoughts?

Why I Love Reading, or "How I Became a Librarian"

I love to read. I've been reading for about 22 or 23 years now, and I can't imagine NOT being able to read. It gives one a new appreciation for literacy when you stop to think about what life would be like if you weren't able to read. For starters, you wouldn't be reading this blog. Secondly, your access to knowledge would be limited to things you hear and experience, rather than the boundless abyss of information sources that are available to those of us with the ability to read.

I love being able to read. One of the most exciting feelings for me is what I experience when I walk into a library or bookstore - an overwhelming awe at the treasures that surround me. "Where to start?," I ask myself. And the beauty of these places is that you can start anywhere, and who knows that you'll end up with.

I used several gift certificates this past weekend to buy four books. Three of them are titles that were not on my radar at all, until I saw them and realized they were what was missing from my personal library. I purchased God's Politics by Jim Wallis, Jenny by Sigrid Undset, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella, and Pilate's Wife: a novel of the Roman Empire by Antoinette May. Now, I will happily admit that I went into Barnes and Noble intending to purchase the next book in my most recent fiction addiction - the Shopaholic series. I have no shame in admitting that I think those are seriously fun reading.

The other three, however, were spurred by different interests that I have. First, I don't know very much about politics and have never taken the time to read anything about it. I was the supervisor at Covenant Bookstore (before The Man put us out of business), and we could not keep God's Politics on the shelves. I saw it, and it was like finding the perfect piece of furniture, or coming across a great bargain on a shirt you've always wanted - I knew I had to read it. especially in light of the upcoming election and the various primaries making their way across the country.

I love things Swedish, and more broadly, Scandinavia. Undset won a Pulitzer prize in 1928 for the body of her work, which included Kristin Lavransdatter, a huge volume which I enjoyed reading last year. I saw Jenny by Undset, and knew that the two of use would get along quite well. (well, that and the fact that the mother of the man I am seeing is named Jenny...)

And finally, I greatly enjoy reading historical fiction. Pilate's Wife was on display at Borders, and the description on the back just pulled me in. I really lose myself in thinking about how various characters throughout history may have responded to the situations that they found themselves in. Who was Pontius Pilate's wife? How might she have seen the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion? It is something I have fun thinking about.

Books amaze me. They can be so many things to thousands, even millions of people. Books can be therapeutic, comforting, and intensely personal. The same book can give different messages to each of its readers. And this is one of the reasons I am becoming a librarian. I love speaking with people about books that they are experiencing, and hearing what they enjoy and dislike. I may have had a completely different reaction to the title they are reading. And that is what makes discussion so interesting. What would you say to someone who felt the same way about a particular title? You can only praise it for so long. But in a discussion, with various view points, you really have to verbalize your thoughts, and respond to specific items that you may either have loved or disliked intensely. It can get heated. I think its great.

I'm currently reading All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve. Shreve's name had come up during our RA class, and I had never read any of her titles. It is really interesting so far, and not what I expected at all. The language is very proper and elegant, and it is written from a male perspective. It is also set at the turn of the century, which is something else that I was not aware of when I picked it up. I'm enjoying the New England-esque atmosphere of the book. I'll let you know more once I finish.