Family Ties ~ A Book Review of ‘The...

For a book that I only paid a buck for, I confess I got more than my money’s worth. ‘The Family Fortune’ by Laurie Horowitz is a retelling of the Jane Austen classic, ‘Persuasion.’ It is told from the point of view of modern day Jane Fortune a woman in her late thirties. She is a Boston native and works for the family foundation that through its magazine has started many a writer towards publishing success; especially the first one she found who has gone on to be a best seller despite her not agreeing to move to California with him close to fifteen years ago. Just like the Jane of the original tale, this Jane has never married, isn’t into fashion, nor does she feel particularly close to anyone in her family except for her deceased mother’s best friend who was the one who recommended that she not move out to the left coast because she was too young to be used up by a writer’s vanity. Now that his sister and her Hollywood producer husband have decided to lease the Fortune home in Boston’s Beacon Hill area (the Fortune’s have to do something to build up their ill spent capital) her ex is now going to back in her life albeit briefly.

What made this story fun, besides the retelling of one of my favorite Austen classics is that Horowitz recasts everything and everyone to perfection. She also tells the story with the sort of wit that one would imagine Austen appreciating if she were still around. Also I thought that ‘The Family’ stood up well on its own as if you didn’t really need to be familiar with the storyline of ‘Persuasion’ to be amused. If you like chick reads that are well written and fun then I think you will appreciate ‘The Family Fortune.’ I feel fortunate that I found it (please don’t groan but feel free to roll your eyes).

Comments: 22

Nellie (The Bad Santa of Gather) Oct 19, 2009, 8:06pm EDT

Another one for my list..knock it off, your costing my husband a fortune for christmas..haha

La Lady Lisa Westerfield Oct 19, 2009, 8:15pm EDT

Nellie, maybe he might be able to pick it up for a buck like I did!

Nellie (The Bad Santa of Gather) Oct 19, 2009, 8:28pm EDT

Nah, I give him a list and send him to the bookstore...even with reg. gifts, I have to tell him what store, aisle it is in and shelve. Only twice in the past 20 yrs. has he ever got me surprise christmas gift...

La Lady Lisa Westerfield Oct 20, 2009, 2:10pm EDT

Nellie, that is the smart way to do it. One shouldn't waste gift giving occassions by getting something they don't want and have to pretend that they like.

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("Gather Site Street-Walking Cheetah")Dorian T. Oct 19, 2009, 8:36pm EDT

Yeah, well...
Thanks.
10.

La Lady Lisa Westerfield Oct 20, 2009, 2:11pm EDT

Dorian, thanks for dropping by.

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Pam H. Oct 19, 2009, 9:16pm EDT

I love a good book review.

La Lady Lisa Westerfield Oct 20, 2009, 2:11pm EDT

Pam, thank you so much. It is a short one but to the point.

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Kimber L. Oct 19, 2009, 10:07pm EDT

I am glad our library website lets us make a list of books we want to read kind of like netflix does - not necessarily a queue but a "list" that has a "request now" button beside each item on our "list". This one is definitely going on my to read list - thanks for the review lady!

Sonia M. Oct 20, 2009, 2:15am EDT

Our library offers the same service....it includes books the local library might not have on hand but that exist within the State library system....

La Lady Lisa Westerfield Oct 20, 2009, 2:12pm EDT

Kimber, that is really cool, I think ours does the same but I'm hard on books. I read them int he bathtub and tend to get them wet. They are my main luxury.

Sonia, that is very cool considering that I imagine they have to gather them from various islands.

Kimber L. Oct 20, 2009, 2:30pm EDT

Lady - I do the same thing - bubble baths! LOL did I mention I own a lot of Library copies of things?? Ha ha ha ha ha!!

I also like the website Paperbackswap.com!!

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Cena W. Oct 20, 2009, 1:31am EDT

I buy most of my books at thrift shops estate and garage sales, or I could never afford my reading habit (no tv)
If I run into this one I will buy it, I like Jane Austen.

Sonia M. Oct 20, 2009, 2:14am EDT

Hi, Cena, I almost didn't recognize you.....

La Lady Lisa Westerfield Oct 20, 2009, 2:14pm EDT

Cena, I would have been satisfied with this book even if I would have paid full price. I tend to get the classic novels through garage sales.

Sonia, I know, she had an icon makeover.

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Sonia M. Oct 20, 2009, 2:13am EDT

Sounds like something I would enjoy....I did enjoy Persuasion, but then, I do enjoy all of Jane Austen's works....Thanks, LLL

La Lady Lisa Westerfield Oct 20, 2009, 2:14pm EDT

Sonia, I think you would really enjoy it. In fact, in that article about which books should be made into movies, I wrote this one down because I think it would really work.

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Paul M. Oct 20, 2009, 9:12am EDT

I haven't read any Jane Austen so I guess I wouldn't get much out of this.

La Lady Lisa Westerfield Oct 20, 2009, 2:15pm EDT

Paul, it is difinately a chick lit read, but I don't think you need to read Jane Austen to like it, you just need a va-jay-jay. : )

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Mugg Muggles, "The Man With the Jive" Oct 20, 2009, 10:01am EDT

Nice review of another book I'll never read. ;o)

La Lady Lisa Westerfield Oct 20, 2009, 2:15pm EDT

Mugg, thank you though for stopping by. : )

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Heather ~of the Whippets~ M. Oct 22, 2009, 6:37pm EDT

Gather is a dangerous place when it comes to my book "wish list." So many good books to read... so little budget and space for expanding my personal library.

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Family Ties ~ A Book Review of ‘The Family Fortune’ by Laurie Horowitz

Comments: 22

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