The interruption of everything: a novel

Book Cover
Average Rating
Publisher
Viking
Publication Date
2005.
Language
English

Description

"Being a lifetime wife and mother has afforded me the luxury of having multiple and even simultaneous careers: I’ve been a chauffeur. A chef. An interior decorator. A landscape architect, as well as a gardener. I’ve been a painter. A furniture restorer. A personal shopper. A veterinarian’s assistant and sometimes the veterinarian.... An accountant, a banker, and on occasion, a broker. I’ve been a beautician. A map. A psychic. Santa Claus. The Tooth Fairy. The T.V. Guide. A movie reviewer. An angel. God....For a long time I have felt like I inadvertently got my master’s in How to Take Care of Everybody Except Yourself and then a Ph.D. in How to Pretend Like You Don’t Mind. But I do mind."

Since Terry McMillan’s breakout novel Waiting to Exhale surged onto the bestseller lists, critics and readers alike have been captivated by her irreverent, hilarious, pitch-perfect tales of women’s lives and contemporary issues. With The Interruption of Everything, her sixth novel, McMillan takes on the fault lines of midlife and family life, reminds us once again of the redeeming power of friendship, and turns her eye toward the dilemma of how a woman starts to put her own needs higher on the to-do list while not shortchanging everyone else.

Marilyn Grimes, wife and mother of three, has made a career of deferring her dreams to build a suburban California home and lifestyle with her husband, Leon. She troubleshoots for her grown kids, cares for her live-in mother-in-law, Arthurine (and elderly poodle, Snuffy); keeps tabs on her girlfriends Paulette and Bunny and her own aging mother and foster sister—all the while holding down a part-time job. But at forty-four, Marilyn’s got too much on her plate and nothing to feed her passion. She feels like she’s about ready to jump. She’s just not sure where.

Highly entertaining, deeply human, a page-turner full of heart and soul, The Interruption of Everything is vintage Terry McMillan—and a triumphant testament to the fact that the detour is the path, and living life "by the numbers" never quite adds up.

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ISBN
9780670031443
9780451209702

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NoveList provides detailed suggestions for titles you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
These books have the appeal factors bittersweet, moving, and reflective, and they have the genre "relationship fiction"; the subjects "empty nesters," "family relationships," and "marriage"; and characters that are "sympathetic characters" and "authentic characters."
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Strong, likable African-American women face the challenges of middle age in these enjoyable, witty novels. In Second House from the Corner, Felicia recalls her childhood after hearing troubling news; Marilyn relies on friends and family in The Interruption of Everything. -- Shauna Griffin
These books have the genre "relationship fiction"; the subjects "life change events," "self-fulfillment," and "married women"; and characters that are "sympathetic characters" and "authentic characters."
These books have the appeal factors own voices, and they have the genres "african american fiction" and "relationship fiction"; the subjects "african american women," "african american husband and wife," and "family relationships"; and include the identity "black."
These books have the appeal factors bittersweet and moving, and they have the genres "african american fiction" and "relationship fiction"; the subjects "african american women," "african american husband and wife," and "family relationships"; and include the identity "black."
Readers seeking stories about relatable Black women embarking on their second act in their 40s will appreciate these stories about women whose big plans are derailed, prompting a turn inward to evaluate what they really want in life. -- Malia Jackson
Red hats - Wayans, Damon
These books have the appeal factors banter-filled, and they have the genres "african american fiction" and "relationship fiction"; the subjects "african american women," "african american husband and wife," and "life change events"; and include the identity "black."
These books have the theme "second act"; the genres "african american fiction" and "relationship fiction"; the subjects "african american husband and wife," "life change events," and "self-fulfillment"; and characters that are "likeable characters."
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Similar Authors From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for other authors you might want to read if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
Connie Briscoe and Terry McMillan write very similar stories, centering on the personal struggles of contemporary middle-class African American women, covering romantic relationships, work issues, and family. -- Rebecca Vnuk
Readers who haven't discovered Eric Jerome Dickey should explore his novels, which focus more on upwardly mobile, hip Black professionals but also stress the importance of identity related to religion, sex, and material values. -- Katherine Johnson
Terry McMillan and Omar Tyree write contemporary novels about talented, ambitious Black professionals who desire fulfilling careers and good relationships. Both authors' books are fast-paced and feature likable and realistic characters, although Tyree's stories are more gritty than McMillan's. -- NoveList Contributor
Terry McMillan and Jacqueline Luckett share a similar writing style as they delve into insightful dissections of love and life from the perspective of affluent but unfulfilled African American women. -- Shauna Griffin
Strong personal relationships among friends, family, lovers, and colleagues form the heart of the novels of Bebe Moore Campbell and Terry McMillan. The tone can range from breezy to somber to empowering, and the stories revolve around the lives of the characters, usually Black women. -- Jessica Zellers
Readers looking for dishy, witty stories about the triumphs and tragedies of successful women will find much to love in both authors' work, even though Rona Jaffe's characters are white women living in the mid-to-late 20th century while Terry McMillan's are late 20th- and early 21st-century African American women. -- Autumn Winters
Sheila Williams and Terry McMillan write character-driven own voices African American fiction that balances the importance of female friendships against the need for personal independence. Their authentic, often witty protagonists frequently navigate the problems of middle age -- relationship woes, unfulfilled dreams, or a longing for love. -- Mike Nilsson
Both authors write moving, character-driven relationship fiction about women facing significant challenges in their personal, romantic, and professional lives. While Danielle Steel's novels usually resolve all conflicts by the end of the story, Terry McMillan's work is often more bittersweet. -- CJ Connor
Frequently starring complex yet relatable women, the character-driven works of both Elizabeth Berg and Terry McMillan explore the bittersweet realities of the most important relationships in their protagonists' lives. McMillan's writing is a bit funnier than Berg's. -- Stephen Ashley
Sisters Terry and Rosalyn McMillan both write about the lives, careers, and relationships of contemporary African American women (and less frequently, men). While Terry's books emphasize character development and dialogue, Rosalyn's novels have a more dramatic feel and focus on social issues. -- NoveList Contributor
Though David Nicholls's work is funnier than Terry McMillan's more bittersweet stories, both are known for their relationship-focused fiction that explores the sometimes complicated day-to-day lives of likable, relatable protagonists. -- Stephen Ashley
Although Terry McMillan's characters are often wealthier than those of Tina McElroy Ansa, both acclaimed authors center Black women's lives and experiences in their warm, witty writing. -- Autumn Winters

Published Reviews

Booklist Review

Forty-four-year-old Marilyn feels as if her life is spiraling out of control. She has a husband who is adrift in his career and is showing all the signs of having an affair. Marilyn is also juggling a troublesome live-in mother-in-law, a mother who may be developing Alzheimer's, and a foster sister who is battling drug addiction and neglecting her two children. Meanwhile, she must struggle with her own personal decisions: should she continue working part time at the craft store or heed her long-neglected dreams of a career in art? Should she stay married to boring Leon, the engineer, or take up again with her first husband, who is suddenly back on the scene and available? A pregnancy scare intensifies her need to separate her roles as a caregiver and as a woman with her own identity. She finds solace and help from her girlfriends and an unlikely source--her mother-in-law. McMillan's inimitable style is on display in this novel about a woman facing midlife crises on every front. --Vanessa Bush Copyright 2005 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
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Publisher's Weekly Review

Marilyn Grimes is desperately frustrated with her life as a housewife and amateur crafts maker. The world seems to be conspiring against her, as she and her husband hit the emotional and physical rocks of middle age and her extended family keeps erupting in chaos. Emmy Award-winning Whitfield's attempt at husky male voices is awkward, but she does a great job with both older women (Marilyn's mother, who has Alzheimer's, and her sassy mother-in-law, who "elopes" with her new retirement home lover). Oddly, her voice as Marilyn is often not engaging. In some ways the weakness in her characterization is appropriate, as Marilyn claims her soul has been "in hiding" as she's catered to everyone else's needs. But some listeners may get bored by Marilyn's narration, especially compared to her lively girlfriends and family. Still, Whitfield was a natural choice for the part, and she mostly lives up to her reputation in delivering this journey of self-discovery. Also available unabridged on 10 CDs and narrated by Desiree Taylor. Simultaneous release with the Viking hardcover (Reviews, May 30). (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
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Library Journal Review

Marilyn Grimes, a quintessential McMillan woman--loyal and honest friend, devoted wife and mother, dutiful daughter/daughter-in-law, upfront sister--is faced with a series of midlife crises. The author touches all bases, from menopause and recovering addictions to male midlife challenges and early Alzheimer's disease. As Marilyn questions her own career options, she must also juggle an extended family's struggles and life changes. Although the dialog doesn't always ring true in Desiree Taylor's delivery of some interactions, her portrayal of the heroine is genuinely felt with wit and wisdom. The ending may be forced, but adult women listeners will identify well enough to forgive the author's resolutions. Recommended for large fiction collections.--Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Kirkus Book Review

The sparks fly in McMillan's latest, a crowded family drama with two midlife crises competing for attention. Marilyn Grimes suspects she's premenopausal, but tests show she's seven weeks pregnant. This is bittersweet news for the narrator, who has spent 23 of her 44 years being a model housewife and mother in her middle-class neighborhood of Oakland Hills, across from San Francisco. She's raised three kids, now grown, while her engineer husband, Leon, has been a good provider, though the fun has gone out of their marriage. Then new tests show the fetus is dead, which is pure relief for Marilyn, though she still has her hands too full to focus on self-fulfillment: an MFA program, a business venture. Down in Fresno, her mother, Lovey, is becoming senile, and Marilyn's much younger adopted sister, Joy, can't cope: A drug addict, she can't even raise her own two kids, Tiecey and LL, so Marilyn must periodically descend from what Joy derisively calls her "little Cosby world" to help out. That little Cosby world is topsy-turvy too. Not only has Arthurine, Leon's far from senile mother, who lives with them, suddenly started dating, but one of Marilyn's sons is home on spring break, bringing his girlfriend and a bunch of homeboys--and staid old Leon is turning into a homeboy himself, looking ludicrous in new baggy jeans. When he announces he's off to Costa Rica to find himself and may be leaving Marilyn for good, she goes ballistic. McMillan is at her best juggling all these different characters. Bring 'em on! And the zingers are blistering. The second half is less turbulent, until news comes that Joy is dead. Marilyn must decide how to pick up the pieces while heartbreaking little Tiecey almost steals the show. Undercharacterized Leon is the weak link here. Otherwise, McMillan's combination of boisterous humor and real compassion, both for the old and the underclass, is deeply impressive. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
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Booklist Reviews

Forty-four-year-old Marilyn feels as if her life is spiraling out of control. She has a husband who is adrift in his career and is showing all the signs of having an affair. Marilyn is also juggling a troublesome live-in mother-in-law, a mother who may be developing Alzheimer's, and a foster sister who is battling drug addiction and neglecting her two children. Meanwhile, she must struggle with her own personal decisions: should she continue working part time at the craft store or heed her long-neglected dreams of a career in art? Should she stay married to boring Leon, the engineer, or take up again with her first husband, who is suddenly back on the scene and available? A pregnancy scare intensifies her need to separate her roles as a caregiver and as a woman with her own identity. She finds solace and help from her girlfriends and an unlikely source--her mother-in-law. McMillan's inimitable style is on display in this novel about a woman facing midlife crises on every front. ((Reviewed April 15, 2005)) Copyright 2005 Booklist Reviews.

Copyright 2005 Booklist Reviews.
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Library Journal Reviews

This just in: publication of McMillan's new novel has been pushed up to July from the fall. With her kids grown and her husband nice but nothing special, Marilyn Grimes wants more for herself-but she's not sure what. Then trouble comes her way, and she needs to do something different. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
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Library Journal Reviews

Marilyn Grimes, age 44, is angry, whiny, and perhaps perimenopausal. With three children in college, a boring husband, a live-in mother-in-law, and her own mother showing signs of dementia, she finds little joy in her suburban California world. Just when she comes up with an escape plan-graduate school-her life is interrupted yet again. Marilyn finds out she's pregnant and that her husband, Leon, is leaving for a month-long men's retreat in Costa Rica. During his absence, Marilyn ricochets in several directions but finally confronts her biggest enemy-herself. Girlfriends Paulette and Bunny, mother-in-law Arthurine, and sister Joy play significant cameo roles as this no-holds-barred, dialog-driven story tackles numerous contemporary issues, most notably our perceptions of aging. With twists on familiar themes, irreverent humor, and a heroine who has more backbone than we initially thought, McMillan's latest (after A Day Late and a Dollar Short) brings it all back home. This is life-affirming women's fiction delivered by one of the best in the field. Destined for the best sellers lists, the book belongs in most popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/05; BOMC alternate.]-Teresa L. Jacobsen, Santa Monica P.L., CA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
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Library Journal Reviews

Marilyn Grimes has had it with her boring husband and his irritating, live-in mother. Her children have grown up and flown the nest, so why can't she? But her quest for freedom turns out differently than she expected. McMillan, who's racing her manuscript to the publisher, plans a 15-city author tour. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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Library Journal Reviews

McMillan's (A Day Late and a Dollar Short) new heroine is facing all the trials of middle age: she must contend with a husband, three children, a live-in mother-in-law and her beau, and a dog. No wonder she's ready for some serious changes. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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Publishers Weekly Reviews

Bestseller McMillan (A Day Late and a Dollar Short) does what she does best in her long-awaited sixth novel. Her candid, spirited narrator is Marilyn Grimes, a 40-something wife and mother who's beginning to feel unappreciated by her family and underwhelmed by her 25-year marriage. With her three kids in college, Marilyn works part-time at a crafts store, feeds her neglected creative muse with various artsy projects, and jaws with her friends in their good-natured regular "Private Pity Party." Having always been there for others-her engineer husband, Leon; her drug-addicted sister, Joy, and Joy's two kids; her live-in mother-in-law, Arthurine; and her mother, Lovey-Marilyn wonders what it would be like to think of her own needs for once. Meanwhile Leon's questioning his professional future, his marriage and his fashion sense (he buys a Harley and starts dressing "like a chubby old hip-hopper"). As they seek their own solutions, Marilyn discovers she's pregnant, Lovey shows signs of Alzheimer's, Arthurine begins dating, Joy struggles to get sober and Marilyn's ex-husband reappears and awakens old feelings. With her trademark ability to write thought-provoking tales inspired by the lives and loves of contemporary African-American women, McMillan offers another novel sure to resonate with readers grappling with the questions Marilyn poses to herself. Agent, Molly Friedrich. (July) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
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