Monday, August 18, 2008

Book Giveaway: Matrimony - Joshua Henkin

Matrimony is being published in paperback on August 26 -- great news! Even better, you can win a signed copy of Joshua Henkin's novel right here, at my blog. Of course, you'll have to do something bookwormish. In my comments section. Neatly.

I'm so pleased that this 2007 New York Times Notable Book has done so well; perhaps copies will start showing up in South Korea soon.

To be eligible to win a copy, leave me a comment about matrimony in literature. Casting your memory back over all the novels you've read, which characters' marriages stand out for you? Is there one you think is remarkably good? Remarkably bad? Or just strange? Why? If you prefer literary gossip, is there a literary figure whose marriage you find noteworthy? Why?

On August 26, I'll draw the winning entrant's name...using my left hand, fourth finger and thumb. Good luck!

13 comments:

J.L. Danger said...

Rochester and Jane! Can it get any better than that?

teabird said...

I love the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Glass in Franny and Zooey!

joemmama said...

Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne were married for nearly 40 years. They had big success and some failures as well. They are a fascinating couple, loved well and long."Because we were both writers and both worked at home our days were filled with the sound of each other's voices."
Source: Boston Globe
How wonderful that must have been!

Anonymous said...

So, I'm scanning through all the literary couples I can think of . . . and I realized that most literature is all about the courting, with a fade out at the wedding. (See, e.g., Pride and Prejudice.) I think it's difficult to catch a married couple in print. The best I could come up with was Mr. and Mrs. Bucket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. :)

Maybe that's why I want a copy of Matrimony, to see if Mr. Henkin can pull off a real (fictional) married couple. Please enter me in the drawing.

ambearo said...

A marriage that stood out for me right away when I read your question was between the characters in "The Memory Keeper's Daughter". The book itself was only 'so-so' but seeing how David Henry and his wife Norah were affected by David's secret was fascinating. Just seeing how a relationship can be slowly poisoned by one of the people's mistakes was worth reading the book.

J.L. Danger said...

I know I already posted, but I checked back in to see what others were choosing. Joemama- your answer made me jealous. I want that kind of a quote made about my marriage someday! Ambearo- definitely one of the great examples!

firstlinefiction said...

Since I was just blogging about Daphne du Maurier I'd have to say the marriage between the unnamed narrator and Maxim de Winter in her famous novel, Rebecca. The Rebecca of the title being the first Mrs. de Winter. What a page turner!

Leah said...

I'd have to say Clare and Henry in The Time Travellers Wife have some of the most unusual circumstances to be married with, and they truly love each other, the end had me in bits. Another entertaining marriage is Mr and Mrs Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, some of his answers to her are really funny.

Anonymous said...

I’ve decided to go into a negative route on this one. The marriage of Janet Greene and Cal Cunningham from About the Author by John Colapinto was odd. After his roommate’s death, Cal meets Janet, who is his former roommate’s ex-lover, from curiosity. She doesn’t know that they knew each other but, he’s completely fascinated by her from reading his roommates journal after he dies. They fall in love and marry. Their marriage is full of lies and secrecy mostly from Cal’s part. From another girl to a scandal worth millions, he hid them all. It was a huge let down of a great novel because of a completely unrealistic ending.

ylin.0621[at]yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

What a FABULOUS and delightful idea for a contest! but since I've read the book and thus don't need to win it, I won't have to think to hard. I will probably thought and if something good pops into my brain... HEY! I just thought of one! Mr & Mrs Binewski in Geek Love. NOw that was an interesting marriage...

Anonymous said...

(wow - I obviously didn't edit before I hit submit... eek!)

Anonymous said...

Looking through my books, I really can’t seem to find many married characters. Though I did managed to find Noon and Herbie in Tumbling by Diane McKinney-Whetstone. I happen to like their marriage because it wasn’t so happy-happy. It had its problems but also it also had its good moments.

aimme21 AT yahoo DOT com

Kelly said...

Hmmm good question. I loved the marriage of Henry and Clare in Time Travelers Wife.