Breathing Lessons was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1988.

Breathing Lessons is the wonderfully moving and surprising story of Ira and Maggie Moran. She's impetuous, harum-scarum, easy-going; he's competent, patient, seemingly infallible. They've been married for 28 years. Now, as they drive from their home in Baltimore to the funeral of Maggie's best friend's husband, Anne Tyler shows us all there is to know about a marriage - the expectations, the disappointments, the way children can create storms in a family, the way a wife and husband can fall in love all over again, the way nothing really changes.

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off to raralovestoread!!

I received this RABCK from cheesygiraffe while I was out-of-town. Thanks!

I enjoyed reading this book. I love the character of Maggie and the way she tried to make everything all right for everyone - although at times her way of doing so seemed downright manipulative. I love the fact that the whole book spans just one day in the life of this couple (with flashbacks included). This is the first Anne Tyler book I've read, and it flowed so quickly. I think I'd enjoy reading other books by her. Thanks, cheesygiraffe, for sharing!

This book is now on its way to wollie in The Netherlands.

Received this one today! I'm really looking forward to reading it. I've already read the accidental tourist, and dinner at the homesick restaurant, by Anne Tyler, and thoroughly enjoyed these two. Thanks so much, Raralovestoread, for sharing this book with me!

Done! During my vacation last week I finished this book, and I loved it. It's a very warm and friendly book, and i found it very refreshing to read about long term relationships and family life instead of about very young people falling in and out of love. I liked Maggie too, and the sense of humour and compassion with which the author makes you see her character. I'm going to see if i can find another bookcrosser to pass this book on to; i've grown a bit too attached to it to do a wild release. Once again, thanks you raralovestoread, for sending this book all the way to the Netherlands!

this book is off to fullfil one of mimu's wishes!

Received this morning as a RABCK from wollie! Thank you, wollie! I look forward to reading it and intend to send it on to another Bookcrosser when I'm done.

I've just finished it, and it’s a really good book, as I'd expect from anything by Anne Tyler. I don't think there's anyone who writes as honestly and well about the expectations and disappointments of marriage and family life as she does, and without any preachy-ness. Maggie is infuriating, interfering and seems doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over, but she means so well that you have to love her. I think you get that from all the characters in the book- their endless mistakes and misunderstandings are just that, and never malicious. I think the only thing I didn't like about the book (and this is a bit snobby of me, and everyone knows you shouldn't judge a book...etc) was the front cover, which leads you to expect some trashy sentimental romance thing. And this really isn't.

Thanks wollie for sending it to the UK. I'd like to post this off to fulfill another wish, as it’s been so loved and well travelled so far that I'd hate to risk it not finding another appreciative reader.

UPDATE: Now on its wish-fulfilling way to thenoblecove

A bookcrosser sent the book to me, after seeing it on my wish list, which was really sweet.

I really liked it, although I felt that my growing dislike of the main character impaired my enjoyment somewhat. Actually, dislike is too strong a word, really, I just found her more and more irritating, and her refusal to learn was somewhat suffocating. Perhaps this was the intention of the author, however I rather feel that Anne Tyler wanted us to empathise a little morewith 'Maggie' and to have sympathy for her problems.

I find that if I dislike a character, then I enjoy a book less.
(ohh, emotional capital, do I invest you unwisely?)

I'd recommend it however.
A good holiday read.

vicki
xx

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