Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

The club reads Main Street by Sinclair Lewis.

Faith entertains her mother-in-law, Patsy, who has come to see the twins, now two. Bonnie is a fearless and bold child, while Beau is quiet and shy. Patsy is chatty and comments about a boy with shoulder-length hair. When they see Kari and Slip at a café, Patsy calls Julia a pickaninny. Faith reproves her for using this term. Patsy sits in on their book club meeting, and Faith has decorated and made themed desserts. Patsy backs Faith up when Faith tells a story about her father being a doctor. Patsy tries to tell Faith that her family and friends will love her regardless of her past, and that she doesn’t have to pretend to be something she’s not.The club reads Main Street by Sinclair Lewis.

Faith entertains her mother-in-law, Patsy, who has come to see the twins, now two. Bonnie is a fearless and bold child, while Beau is quiet and shy. Patsy is chatty and comments about a boy with shoulder-length hair. When they see Kari and Slip at a café, Patsy calls Julia a pickaninny. Faith reproves her for using this term. Patsy sits in on their book club meeting, and Faith has decorated and made themed desserts. Patsy backs Faith up when Faith tells a story about her father being a doctor. Patsy tries to tell Faith that her family and friends will love her regardless of her past, and that she doesn’t have to pretend to be something she’s not.

The club reads The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark.

Slip is stunned to learn that her brother Fred has enlisted in the army, which spoils Thanksgiving for her. At book club, the women talk about their favorite teachers, and Audrey mentions the one who helped her when she got her first period at school. Kari mentions a high school English teacher who opened her mind. Slip talks about the theology class she’s taking at night school. Faith mentions a home economics teacher, and Merit talks about a junior high music teacher who helped her appreciate music, but then assaulted her when she went to thank him at the end of the school year. Jerry keeps his hand on Slip’s knee, and Slip realizes all she has to be grateful for.

The club reads Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion.

Kari hosts her annual Christmas party, which is legendary. There is good food and dancing, and Merit wears the silly buttons she got from her Secret Santa. The husbands joke about their wives’ book club, Paul suggesting that they read feminist propaganda and Eric saying they’re just angry housewives eating bon bons. Slip says that should be their new name: “It’s like we’re giving them and their chauvinism the finger” (112).

Faith writes her mother, reflecting on New Year’s Eve memories and how she got to hold Kari’s baby. She feels sick about her own jealousy and the way she worries when other people have things. She wonders if “everybody’s better than me, that somehow they love better, feel deeper, have something that I can’t describe but know I lack” (114). Faith remembers how she ran away when one of her mother’s lovers tried to grab her. When she walked to school she made up a story about her father, claiming that he was a doctor, and it made her feel good. Even here, in this quiet and happy neighborhood, she’s not sure she belongs, still remembering how her mother complained that she tied her down.

The club reads The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather.

Kari loves being the book club host (they no longer call themselves “hostess”). She also loves raising Julia. She snuck home that first night of having her simply so she could have Julia all to herself. Then she called her friends the next day and brought them to her bedroom to show them the baby. Kari still gets comments on Julia being biracial, but she has learned to deal with them. The first time her family was together, Kari was scared she’d be found out, but Mary Jo behaved just like a young college student, and everyone accepted that Julia was Kari’s child.

The club reads Dr. Faustus by Thomas Mann.

Eric’s abuse has continued. At home, the night of Kari’s Christmas party, he pushed Merit to the floor and kicked her. The blows are terrible, but worse is when he begs her forgiveness and forces himself on her, promising he won’t do it again. She tries to tell herself she doesn’t hate him and that this will stop soon. He only hits her where the damage can’t be seen. She practices small rebellions, “a tiny star […] against the dark nightscape” of her marriage (127). Eric won’t let her cut her hair, so she rolls garbage or rude notes into the French roll. Books “became her comfort, her sanctuary” (128). She picks banned books in keeping with these small rebellions.

Faith writes her mother about their book club discussion, which centered on what they would sell their soul for, their discussion reflecting their personalities. Faith thinks she gives up pieces of her soul every day.