The Women, by T.C. Boyle

The Women, by T. C. Boyle. Out of nearly 2000 books read the last 30 years, this is one of only a handful that I quit before I was done, on page 43 out of 450.  It is about Frank Lloyd Wright. I learned enough about him to know I didn’t want to plow through hundreds more pages learning about his financial dealings and romantic endeavors.  As far as I got, it took place mostly in Wisconson, where neighbors wouldn’t even tell directions to Wright’s home when they found out who the travelers wanted to find.  Merchants dreaded it when he  and those who lived with him shopped in town, because they put their purchases on a “tab” that was paid late, if at all.  FLW’s search for financial success was dismal.  It seemed that his treatment of the most important women in his life was less than stellar.
    However, I was surprised by the author's amazing vocabulary.  I consider myself above average when it comes to having a large vocabulary.  But when I came across four unknown words in ONE paragraph I was amazed and challenged!  You can be, too!

1.  lucubrate, as in I was willing to lucubrate till dawn.  Hmm, maybe when I was much younger?  Depending on who I was with?  Would I get caught?  During college years?  Oh dear, that is the closest I’m coming.  It has to deal with laborious study; especially pretentious writing.    That defines this book, as much as I read.

2.  ziggurat, as in a ziggurat of books.  Old musty heap?  Container (of books)?  A well used, torn, dog-eared, collection, ready for the trash?  Pertaining to only one topic...maybe architecture, since this book is about FLW?  Where did this author dig up these words?  Well, the last question again, is closest, sort of.   Coming from the ancient Mesopotamian time, is was a structure in a pyramidal shape.  Knew that did you?

3.  anomie, as in the true hue of anomie.   An under water creature?  A shade of purple?   Anonymity?  If you follow my pattern, the last guess is the closest, sort of.  One definition  includes personal unrest and uncertainty from a lack of purpose or ideals.  Uh-huh.

4.  inamorata, as in my inamorata having left me.  My sweetheart?  Since the book does deal with FLW’s lovers.  Curiosity?  Ambition?  Sense of doubt?  Ah, I changed my method, the first guess is the best.  His inamorata left him for someone else.

Shoot, I found another one in the same paragraph!

5.  plinth, as in plinth on which they were founded.  Principles?  Financial support?  Morals?  Have to admit, having an industrial arts teacher for a husband, I HAD heard of the term and had a clue, especially since Ionic column was mentioned in the same line.  Deliberately, none of my guesses was very good.  The real definition of plinth mentions the base of a column or pedestal, the base block.

    By the way, four of these last five words were included in one rambling sentence of 119 words, with clauses, commas, parentheses, hyphens, colons and f i n a l l y, a period.  None of which pertained to FLW or his women. 

    I felt like I was reading in a quagmire of quicksand. And I was only on page 9.
    I mucked through to page 43 and still hadn’t read anything interesting, only information that fueled my dislike of FLW’s personal life and the author’s obtuse writing. 
    0 out of 10. For more reviews:  http://queenbeewritings.blogspot.com/