The Stepford Wives

by Ira Levin | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0747574243 Global Overview for this book
Registered by rem_STP-921375 on 1/20/2006
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12 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by rem_STP-921375 on Friday, January 20, 2006
It was interesting to read such an infamous book at last. I watched the film ages ago (I don't fancy the new version at all). I enjoyed this and it did have a real air of menace. I liked the fact that you never find out exactly what the chaps do to the women; it makes it even more unnerving. It's very short so the characters never really come alive though. The men are completely two-dimensional.

"Photographer Joanne Eberhart has just moved home to Stepford with her family, but for some reason she is having a lot of difficulty making new friends. As far as Joanne is concerned, there's something peculiar about the women of Stepford. They don't have time for a cup of coffee and certainly not for a chat: there's too much cleaning and housework to be done. And even though it's the swinging sixties, feminism seems to have passed every one of them by. As Joanne's isolation grows, she begins to think she and her friend Bobbie might be the only liberated women left in Stepford. But when Bobbie very suddenly turns into one of the Stepford Wives too, Joanne begins to fear that something sinister is at work - and that her own days of freedom might be numbered too."

Journal Entry 2 by rem_STP-921375 on Friday, January 20, 2006
I am sending this out on a UK bookray. Please try and read the book within a month (it is really short!). The participants are:

aubriel
sunlightbub
Rillaith
angi612uk
molekilby
Tazzell
droogie
fluffywelshshee
kazeh

Enjoy the book!

Journal Entry 3 by aubriel from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, January 28, 2006
I received this book on Friday, but a spare hour on Saturday polished it off. I think this is the fastest I've ever managed to get through a ring or ray.

As for the story itself it was much darker than the modern film version of Stepford Wives, which I had pretty much expected as I knew the Kidman version was much lighter than the 70's version even though I don't remember that.

I think the story has a lot to say about gender roles. How it is normal for women to want more than the three K's and critise the men who want some sort of 1950's paragon of housewifery as their partner in life.

Journal Entry 4 by aubriel from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Posted off to sunlightbub yesterday.

Journal Entry 5 by Sunnybubble from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 15, 2006
A bookring..another one...I have no will power..thank goodness it is a short one..

lol..

Thanks Pennywhistler and Aubriel for sending it on!!!

Journal Entry 6 by Sunnybubble from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Thursday, February 23, 2006
I don't know what to say wbout this book. It started slowly for me, then grabbed my attention so I finished it in about an hour or so ( It is very short!).
I did enjoy it, but agree that the brevity was acheived at the expense of building some of the characters. Unlike pennywhistler, I need everything given to me on a plate *grins*, so I wanted to know exactly what happened to the wives..I seem to remember the same frustration watching the original film, quite a few years ago. DH is a clever techy person and I am not a good housekeeper so he will NOT be reading it and getting ideas..lol

I've got the next participants address so it'll be travelling again tomorrow..Thanks for including me in the ring xxxx

Journal Entry 7 by Rillaith from Wokingham, Berkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 1, 2006
My GOODNESS this is a slim book! I will slip it in between my current book and the next due bookring book, I think.

Arrived safely in the post yesterday, although I wasn't entirely convinced that the envelope could possible hold a book as it was so thin and bendy ;)

Journal Entry 8 by Rillaith at Bookring in a RABCK, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, March 5, 2006

Released 18 yrs ago (3/6/2006 UTC) at Bookring in a RABCK, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

To be taken to the Post Office at lunchtime with a load of others.

Journal Entry 9 by Rillaith from Wokingham, Berkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, March 5, 2006
I would have loved this to be a bigger book, but it was actually wonderful to get to read it at last, it having been somethign we take for granted that everyone knows for so long. I wasn't sure how it ended (I hadn't seen the film either) and I couldn't guess which way the cap would fall until right at the end - happy ending or not!

thank you for ringing this book, and it will be sent on shortly.

Journal Entry 10 by angi612uk from Whitchurch, Somerset United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Received this morning, thank you. I'll pop it in my suitcase and read it in Cyprus. I'm going there for a week tomorrow, so it should be ready to post on when I get back.

Journal Entry 11 by angi612uk from Whitchurch, Somerset United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Ididn't get round to it on holiday but read it while waiting to see a dentist this afternoon. I quite enjoyed it. It's such an interesting concept. I wish I knew how they did it! Is there a sequel, I wonder?

Journal Entry 12 by angi612uk from Whitchurch, Somerset United Kingdom on Saturday, April 1, 2006
Posted on to molekilby yesterday.

An intrigueing story.

Journal Entry 13 by molekilby from Brithdir, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Received yesterday. Will read soon. Thanks to angi612uk for sending and pennywhistler for sharing.

Journal Entry 14 by molekilby from Brithdir, Wales United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 12, 2006
I read this on the train to London yesterday. I'd seen the (old) film and so had an idea about where it was going.

It certainly made the gender roles quite distinctive. I also felt that the narrative showed a change in the males as well as the more pronounced change in the females. The idealistic progressive husbands change during the drama into Stepford stereotypical man, what indeed went on up at the house. For me personally, I'd rather have natural than plastic, partner than slave, someone who challenges my opinions than accepts them without murmur.

All in all a good read and being sent today. Thanks for sharing.

Journal Entry 15 by Tazzell from Laurencekirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Friday, April 14, 2006
Arrived today thank you. Looks nice and small so should get through it in no time.

Journal Entry 16 by Tazzell from Laurencekirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 19, 2006
I'm actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. While I would have loved the book to be longer and gone into more depth - like really what was happening!! But its fast pace had me racing to the end just to see if Joanne would get out in time.
It certainly seems to be a product of its time but it is still relevant in todays society. In fact I could name quite a few women who would actually sign themselves up to becoming a Stepford Wife which is either very scary or very sad.
Couldn't believe that such a short story has had such a long lasting impact on our cultures. Don't tell me you've never called someone a Stepford. No? Must just be where I live then.
Thanks for setting up this ring pennywhistler. Off it goes now to Droogie.

Journal Entry 17 by droogie from Nottingham, not specified not specified on Saturday, April 29, 2006
Thank you - this arrived yesterday, I'll read it asap and I'm really interested after seeing the film a long time ago

Journal Entry 18 by droogie from Nottingham, not specified not specified on Sunday, May 14, 2006
Really enjoyable book, in a short number of pages Levin manages to build up the suspense and add a great ending.

Thanks for sharing

Journal Entry 19 by fluffywelshshee from Tullibody, Scotland United Kingdom on Friday, June 2, 2006
Got as part of a book crossing.
Read it passing it on

Journal Entry 20 by kazeh from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, July 1, 2006
Hi, just let you know that book arrived today. Start to read it too.

Journal Entry 21 by kazeh from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, July 3, 2006
I do enjoyed this book very much. I don't want to end and loves to see it carry on. Worth to read.
Found someone's wishlist and wait for someone reply back if this book wanted.

Thanks to Pennywhistler for bookray.

Journal Entry 22 by isisjem from Oxford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 11, 2006
This arrived in yesterdays post but this is the first time I've had the computer on to journal it.

I enjoyed this book but I think it might have benefited from being a bit longer. All the Ira Levin books I've read in the past I've done so after seeing the films and this was no exception. I remember the original film being really chilling and I felt that the book only hinted at some of this. Perhaps if it had been more developed I'd have liked it more. Still couldn't put it down until I'd finished it!

Journal Entry 23 by isisjem at Family Member in -- By post or by hand --, South Carolina USA on Sunday, September 3, 2006

Released 17 yrs ago (9/4/2006 UTC) at Family Member in -- By post or by hand --, South Carolina USA

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Passing on to my sister in law

Journal Entry 24 by dillydimps from Oxford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, September 7, 2006
Passed on to me by my sister in law

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