Avra Wing

Published in 1992, this novel takes place during the time when working women (aka "working girls" aka "the office pool" aka "secretaries") were constantly looked down upon by the men they worked with, the few women in their offices with higher standing, and their families if they were married. Times were changing though, and Tina, this books narrator, was part of the change. Women no longer had to quit/be fired if they were pregnant (like my mom was back in the day), they could return to their jobs (if they could work out child care), and single unmarried moms were at least tolerated.

Narrator Tina is 30 years old, working as a secretary. She lives in NY, is half Italian and half Jewish. She has a boyfriend, and her close friends are her sister and co-workers. Should she get married? She sees her best fiend, Angie's, marriage, and is not impressed. She sees what her sister has given up by getting married, having kids, moving to a house. Does she want to go that route, or should she forge her own route?

This novel is also about family--Tina is a huge believer in family, and has always tried to deal with her mentally ill mother (her sister ignores her), her mean grandmother, and her dad's 2nd wife. She feels a duty to all of these people, and is very hurt about those that don't share this feeling.

This book feels very dated to me, but I think that is because in the last 25 years things (socially, technologically) have changed A LOT. Are secretaries still looked down on? Probably, thought the places I have worked they actually ran the place. I'm sure it depends on industry/company culture. I think in the future this book will feel more like a snapshot in time. Or maybe it does now to those that did not work in 1992 when it was published.… (altro)