****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
A novel taking a snapshot of a given moment in history, capturing the multiple dynamics going on in the economy, society, and politics, works brilliantly in the present day when it details the struggles a typical couple is going through, leading many readers to think, "Oh yes, this story is about me/us down to a tee!" Danielle Crittenden's downright honest, soul-searching Amanda Bright@HOME is one such novel, and it succeeds enough that years into the 21st century, when many people wonder, "How did we end up this way?" they'll go back to this book.The story: thirtysomething Amanda Bright has given up her career to stay at home and mind her two children while her husband Bob works at the Department of Justice. A break comes when her husband becomes involved in an antitrust suit against Megabyte, a software giant. However, the time spent on the case creates a larger rift between them that eventually erupts into interpersonal conflict.The underlying conflict within Amanda always comes back to balancing her loyalties to her husband and children as wife/mother while at the same time wondering whether she should go back to work. There is the feeling of self-worth, self-affirmation, self-fulfillment of the feminist 70's, in conflict with the 1950's selflessness in being Donna Reed, child-rearer, cook, etc. Which leads her to wonder constantly: "why not go back to work?"The title really gives me pause to think. Amanda was bright in her working career, but @ home, looking after her children, getting the household chores done, and all to make things presentable to her husband by the time he comes home is quite a struggle with her, which goes back to the conflict within. When the sound of vacuuming is perceived as beneficially drowning the children's screaming and howling, it's time for some heavy duty introspection. She is the one who has to deal with some rather unfriendly school teachers and officials who are unsympathetic to her son Ben, whom they say is being "violent." Even around the gatherings with her fellow women, she feels alienated and insecure because of their higher status.From the 1980's onwards, the career woman was on the rise, with or without Mr. Mom, to use a movie reference. Anyone wanting to have a Donna Reed-like family structure would either have to have a CEO breadwinner (clearly I'm exaggerating) or be willing to live with enough to cover essentials but no extras that demonstrates one's social status. It's sad how the measure of social standing, self-esteem, and happiness is measured by material things. It's OK if one is single, but if one has a couple of offspring to mind, it's important to become friends with Mr. Dollar.It also makes me think how much of a global, digital, efficient, and impersonal world we have entered with the New Economy. The title of the book, Amanda Bright@HOME, in an e-mail format smacking of the Internet Age, attests to this.Crittenden injects some wit in her book from page one, about a minefield of toys, and a room that "looked as if it had been attacked by Suicide Bomber Ken." And despite the turmoil that takes place in the novel, there is a note of hope within this mechanized mindset of a world. A house-husband, Alan, tells Amanda not to worry about Ben: "The world is always trying to put your kid into some sort of box, and you may as well learn early on how to fight your way out of it." Too true, and it applies to us even as adults. Perhaps that's why I still haven't found my destiny--this reluctance to be pigeonholed in a box.Reviewer's note: I had the honour to read a personally signed copy of this novel sent to me courtesy of David Frum, Ms. Crittenden's husband and talented author in his own right, and it was equally an honour to review it.
