City of Girls: A Novel

How refreshing to have a woman become who she really is, to know what works for her, and to embrace it whole heartedly, and to be honest with others about that. This is really unheard of, or nearly so. It’s a fascinating story about one woman’s long life of discovering her truest self, and then having the courage to live her life in accordance with that knowledge of what’s important to her. The many deep relationships, the family of choice we call it in my world, is satisfying and enlightening. May we all be so lucky as to have a life filled with such people. I know it’s a hugely important part of my life to have always had such a loving and fun and interesting group of people whom I love and who love me back. It may be the only area of my life where I have truly and thoroughly succeeded, and it’s profoundly meaningful to me. I can’t say that every reader will enjoy a book like this, written about such deep questions about how best to live one’s own best life. But I know I found it useful, entertaining, moving and eye opening. Quite a feat for one book!

This was simply wonderful. Elizabeth Gilbert returns to form with City of Girls, the story of Vivian Morris, who is telling the story of her life in answer to the question, "What were you to my father?" Freshly kicked out of Vassar in 1940, she heads to New York to live with her aunt, who owns a theatre. This is not an upmarket establishment, but a crumbling showhouse in a working-class area, trying desperately to attract locals without much money to spare. Vivvie, who has a knack for sewing, quickly gets caught up in the productions and in life behind the scenes. But "too much fun" and the war inevitably take their toll, and Vivvie eventually faces a reckoning. The second half of the book is very differently paced - less fun, but more poignant. I did think that the final bit, the bit that answered the question posed in the opening chapter, was slightly light in detail compared to the rich telling that had gone before, but this is only a minor complaint.

I'm reading the best book of fiction I've read in twenty years (Me--a bonified memoir-creative non-fiction reader actually reading fiction!) by Elizabeth Gilbert, The City of Girls is a page turner. I stayed up until 5 am reading. I can't put it down! Only when I passed out and my iPad konked me on the head did I stop reading! I love the scenes, characters, dialogue and narrative. The fact that it is written in an epistolary form from a 70 year old woman to an old friend and confidant made it so interesting. It reads like a coming of age memoir with delightful coming of age sexual confessions, reflections, and life lessons that speak to us in 2020. This novel is set in the delicious golden age of the 40's in NYC and anyone who was born and raised in NY have at least heard of the places named in the story. BTW--last week, I took a memoir writing workshop with Elizabeth Gilbert for an hour, she said she is relived to write fiction so she can write freely without worrying about being sued by anyone and that she feels completely liberated; as her protagonist in this novel becomes over a period of time. It's a perfect escapist read for these dark days of too much bad news. This book is a real delight. I recommend it heartily!

Tell it like it was, so yeah, for women in the 20th Century in New York. No sugar-coating the glamorous life or the everyday working life of women through the decades as readers follow the first-person narration of an independent woman who tells her story to another, younger woman. “You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm---Colette” From her careless, "wanton" twenties (Come on, unless you fell into the stereotypical marriage-to-whom-your family thinks-you-should trap, who wasn't self-indulgent and careless as well as carefree during their 20s?) through the dismal WWII years of women working in factories, doing without staples, as well as comforts, like sex with men, as the men fought "the great war" far away from home, the narrator lays herself bare, admits her mistakes, and moves into adulthood as a single, adult, female business owner. One character advises, “I hope you’re having a good time, too. People will tell you not to waste your youth having too much fun, but they’re wrong. Youth is an irreplaceable treasure, and the only respectable thing to do with irreplaceable treasure is to waste it. So do the right thing with your youth —squander it.” Fiercely loyal to her friends, and thoroughly "satisfied" with sex with multiple men, she is a real woman, not one of fantasy fiction to be "rescued" by a man. “Anyway, at some point in a woman’s life, she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time. After that, she is free to become whomever she truly is.” She rescues herself and her life, decade after decade. Gradually, she learns to accept and enjoy who she is. “You asked if it [sex] makes me happy. I don’t think so. Other things in my life make me happy. My work makes me happy. My friendships and the family that I’ve created, they make me happy. New York City makes me happy. Walking over this bridge with you right now makes me happy. But being with all those men, that makes me satisfied. . . And I’ve come to learn that this kind of satisfaction is something I need, or else I will become unhappy. I’m not saying that it’s right. I’m just saying—that’s how it is with me, and it’s not something that’s ever going to change. I’m at peace with it.” Meanwhile, we witness the NYC off-Broadway small (and often tacky), theatre world of showgirls, singers, swingers, and players. What a gay and seedy life it is. Oh, to be single, young and free to explore this world and NYC itself. ”It is preserved forever in my memory like an orchid trapped in a paperweight. That city will always be my perfect New York.” Read this book, lustily, and thoroughly enjoy New York through the eyes of one 20th Century woman. . “

Its such a feel good book. I do recommend it to all my girlfriends. It is about support, love, friendship. It is about going through good and tough times, written in an spectacular way. I was laughing loud, I was crying. 100% must read

Great

I adored reading this book, I just could not put it down. You can just feel it when a book is well-written because it flows so beautifully. I felt such life and warmth from the characters of this book. The main character, Vivian, was radiant in every experience she shared with us. I particularly enjoyed the way that this warmth was maintained during her most intimate scenes. I have found that there seems to be a coldness and detachment about the way sex scenes are written in other books I have read. They made me feel uncomfortable and voyeuristic. But when we are with Vivian, I feel her lightness, her joy for life, her inquisitiveness, curiosity, and her enjoyment - we feel what intimacy means to her, from her most honest perspective. But I can't forget the equally visceral feelings of shame and shutdown at other points in her story. There is so much depth to her character, and Elizabeth Gilbert expresses Vivian's feelings in all of their humanity. I felt it all along with her. I felt so fully immersed in her life that I was reading this book well into the early hours, not wanting to stop this rollercoaster ride that was Vivian's life. This is the first book of Elizabeth Gilbert's that I have read, and I will definitely be back for more. Thank you for a wonderful read.

Another well written, heart touching, deep book from Elizabeth Gilbert. Can’t describe how much I wanted to hold Vivian and meet everyone. This book is simply amazing.

This book is like Eat Pray Love, but fiction. You feel like you've personally met each character. It is so validating and enthralling. It is perfectly written and the perfect length. Highly recommended.