The Merry Recluse

A Life in Essays

By: Caroline Knapp

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Paperback | 1 May 2005 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
304 Pages

Edition Type
New edition

Dimensions(cm)
21.0 x 14.1 x 2.0

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From the best-selling author of Drinking: A Love Story and Appetites: Why Women Want comes this unforgettable collection spanning fifteen years of observations on modern culture and women's lives. Caroline Knapp's readers are known not just for their number, but for their intense connection to her work. Knapp connected so well in part because of the intense focus she brought to her subjects. Now, with The Merry Recluse: A Life in Essays, Knapp shows us that her vision through a wider lens is as brilliant as through a narrow one. These essays paint the fullest picture of this wonderful writer that we've yet seen, but they are also a full portrait of a writing life, showing how the same themes can engage--and expand--a writer over a lifetime. Knapp, who died in 2002, was considered one of the country's more intelligent and graceful voices in memoirs. This collection also shows her to be a witty, provocative observer of the world around her.

Industry Reviews

"Most memorable...are [Knapp's] forthright, unsentimental examinations of her life as a woman living alone and working alone... An intelligent voice that spoke with grace, honesty, and humor."

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Introduction	p. ix
With: Friendship, Family, Love, Lucille	p. 1
On Being a Twin	p. 3
The Cord That Binds	p. 8
Breaking Away	p. 12
Girl Crushes	p. 16
When You Just Want to Be Loved	p. 24
Confessions of a Control Freak	p. 30
Letter to Zoe	p. 35
Grace Notes	p. 39
How to Have a Dog's Life	p. 45
Lucille Versus Stumpy	p. 50
My Canine, Myself	p. 54
Dog Group	p. 58
No Dogs Allowed	p. 62
Best of Breed: The Mix	p. 66
Without: Grief, Loss, Sobriety	p. 69
The Grace Period	p. 71
Grief Stages	p. 74
Mid-Mourning	p. 77
A Mother's Work	p. 80
Detail Work	p. 85
Grieving Lessons	p. 89
Clearing Up	p. 93
Food as Enemy	p. 97
Getting Better	p. 110
On Loneliness	p. 114
Lessons in Loss	p. 117
Living Without Alcohol	p. 121
A Letter to My Father	p. 125
Acamprosate	p. 133
The Problem with Moderation	p. 136
Life Without Anesthesia	p. 141
Out There: The State of the World	p. 149
An Open Letter to Corporate America	p. 151
Twelve Steps Down	p. 155
From Ares to Ridicules	p. 159
Beyond Bad Hair	p. 163
Notes on Dave	p. 167
What Women Really Need from Science	p. 171
He Says, She Says	p. 175
Dicking Around	p. 179
Death to Niceness	p. 182
Harassment 101	p. 185
Patchwork	p. 189
Longing to Be Italian	p. 193
Why We Keep Stuff	p. 195
Teddy Bear II	p. 199
Nesting Fever	p. 203
Sloblessness	p. 207
Notes on Nesting	p. 211
Overload, Post 9/11	p. 215
In Here: Reflections	p. 219
Longing for Normalcy	p. 221
Endless (and Endless) Summer	p. 225
Coming Home	p. 229
Nothing to Wear	p. 233
Exercising Options	p. 237
I Hate Money	p. 241
Satan Deals the Cards	p. 245
Transfer Station	p. 249
The Rage Cage	p. 253
The Feminine Critique	p. 257
Barbie Does Death	p. 261
Biceps Changed My Life	p. 265
The Merry Recluse: Solitude, Shyness, Loneliness	p. 269
Time Alone	p. 271
Speaking Out for Shyness	p. 278
The Merry Recluse	p. 286
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

The Merry Recluse

A Life in Essays

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

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