The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller

[poodlepusher]

Anyone read this yet?
V good review in today's INDEPENDENT

Is she Arthur Miller's daughter? D day-Lewis's wife? If so, I also read a good review of it somewhere else.

I'm going to reserve it out the library, because I think it's a hardback.

Yes, but the Inde said that neither association mattered - that she was a stand alone talent.

Library - good idea.

Ordered it. Will let you know.

Have any of you read this yet,I have just finished it and also my book club is reading it this month.I really enjoyed it,anyone have any comments

I heard its up for an award.

Have heard good things - it is in paperback - I almost bought it the other day in tesco. It was about £4.

ooh. I was waiting for that, will go out and get it today.

I finished this book last night, but didn't think it was that good. Just wonder if she hasn't been carried a bit by the celeb links and lofty heritage.

It was worth reading, but not a worthy award-winner IMO.

I'll be interested to see the film though.

agree with Cocodrillo.

Read it and quite enjoyed it but not overwhelmed.

It's one of those books where ordinary people start acting in rather unrealistic ways but you have to suspend disbelief because it's a modern novel and in modern novels people are allowed to explore the unlikely, if you know what I mean.

ok that's intriguing. It actually makes me want to read it more now - to see what she's done and how its put together, and what all the hype is about.

Oooh have just received it from Amazon and was beginning to regret buying it, haven't read it yet, but now sounds good. Is she Arthur Miller's daughter?? Married to Daniel Day Lewis????

yes thats who she is. I also just ordered it for less than £4. whopee!

Well I really enjoyed it, it's starts off and you think this is just about a move to a retirement village but then we go back in time and she has had a surprising life. I really like Rebecca Miller's style of writing, clear and yet very good at description so you can put yourself in the place. One of the best books of the year IMO.

I think it may be up for the Richard & Judy book of the year - is that it? I got the Canongate e-bulletin today and have a vague memory of that being in there (possibly hallucinatory, it's been a stressful day).

my copy just arrived - yes there is a R&J sticker on the front.

Its only about 220 pages so will read and come back to comment.

I've just finished reading a collection of short stores by her, "Personal Velocity".

It was a bit meh: but I think that might be because I'm not really keen on short stories - always seem a bit contrived. The jacket blurb was all a bit "an electrifying new talent" which I didn't see was justified on the basis of that book. I would be interested to read something else by her - particularly something longer - but my personal jury is still out.

I would like to be her.

I'd read loads of rave reviews of this so got it, but really didn't like it at all. It had some interesting bits, the writing occassionally moved me, but generally I didn't enjoy it very much. I don't think I cared about anyone in it enough, especially not her. Bit disappointment for me personally.

I'm half way through. I will come back when I'm done with this one. Currently in two minds about it, and trying not to pass harsh judgement til I've finished it.

Well I finished this last night. It really takes a turn about half way through and I'm glad I persevered as I think its structurally genius.

Was concerned at first by the Creative Writing MA style opening chapter and then the short retrospective chapters. I thought it was going to be a poor, cobbled together set of bits that she'd written and had never bothered to tie up in a full narrative.

I was wrong.

But in terms of subject matter / storyline - I'm trying to work out if it was simply that things became more salacious and that I got hooked in daily mail way. I hope not.

The protagonist is completely detached, no matter what she does. Dramatic things happen but nothing stirred any emotion in me at any point, which is surprising because Im' a pmt sap this week.

Canongate's latest e-bulletin leads with an item on this which says she's doing an event in London on Monday.

Definitely got better as it went along. Found the ending a bit preposterous. Liked the way the chapters moved back and forth in time and the fact that they were not uniform in length. Not sure it's worthy of an award though.