STILL LIFE WITH BREAD CRUMBS by Anna Quindlen

Finished Tu 10/30/18

This is a hardback that I bought at last June's library sidewalk book sale.

I just flat-out loved the story-line and her writing style, and I wished that the book wouldn't end.  And that's a rare thing for me.

The author's page at wikipedia-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Quindlen

IN BROAD STROKES-

Rebecca Winter is a sixty year old divorced woman now living in a run-down cabin in rural NY state. She had an apartment on West 67th in NYC and she's rented this out to try to make money to pay her financial obligations. She has a mother in an old age home- this woman was a concert pianist and continues to play on tables, chairs, etc- she's suffering from dementia. Her ex- husband is a womanizer and has remarried several times- no contact with him except through her son. Ben, her son, is a college graduate and has been having a hard time getting established. He is working as a production assistant on a small film.

Rebecca links up with a roofer. The book opens with a raccoon that's trapped in her attic. The roofer, Jim Bates, traps the animal and shoots it.  He's twenty years her junior- big blonde- headed muscular man.

Sarah- runs the coffee shop 'Tea For Two (and more)'
Kevin- her husband. Rips off people selling green firewood; an elderly slacker, lay-about, chiseler.

The title refers to one of her award winning photos. It was a shot of a sink full of dirty dishes. She was kind of a feminist "Kitchen Photographer/ Artist".

Intense close-ups of Ben

Close- ups of dogs   Jack (Polly's dog) who Rebecca just calls 'Dog'.

Polly is Jim's sister. This woman has always had mental issues; Bipolar or schizophrenic. Jim was married and he and his wife lived with Polly. Jim's wife left for warmer weather. She has a rich husband and many children.

Rebecca learns to walk around her property and discovers small crosses with strange things. These are Polly's 'farewell to life' pieces. Basically they are one long suicide note.

On the night of a huge snowstorm Jim and Rebecca have slept together for the first time. He leaves and promises to come back with lasagna for the next day's supper. He doesn't return because Polly has committed suicide. She walked up on the roof of her trailer and just went to sleep in a drift of snow.

When Jim sees the pictures of the crosses at Rebecca's exhibit Jim is pissed. He hasn't talked to Rebecca in months and finally he confronts her and explained the real story behind the crosses. Rebecca understands and says she will not sell them.

In the end, they marry. Sarah divorces and finds 'The Other Jim"- her new husband's name is Jim. Ben marries and has a kid, Oliver. Jim and Rebecca build a new house on the property and use the old cabin as her studio.