Ladies' Lending Library

By Janice Kulyk Keefer

Spend an August in 1963 with the kids and moms of Kalyna Beach, sharing their up and downs (mostly downs) and getting a glimpse of life in this imaginary Ukrainian immigrant community. The moms are mostly from the old world and the kids are up to date members of Canadian society trying to cope with two opposing points of view, their moms more restrictive old fashioned ways and the siren call of the modern world with its dating, cars, makeup and sex.
The moms try to be good moms, but their own unhappiness and frustrations get in the way, with kids ending up feeling estranged and lonely with moms that just don't get it and dads who are out of the picture except on weekends. The few times that the dads show up their time is mostly consumed by chores and repairs but the time they can spend with their children is highly valued by both the kids and the dads as they horse around on the beach playing with the kids and getting a little sun.
Stuck out in the country, pretty much on their own most of the time, coping with kids and all the endless tasks that make up their days, the moms blow off a little steam with their "Ladies Lending Library," a weekly get together where the moms drink a little gin, gossip and complain and occasionally actually talk about some book they are reading. It's a way for these immigrant women to discuss and understand their new lives in Canada and it's a way for them to cope with their children who, although of Ukrainian heritage, are Canadian and definitely not old world.

Although this book is set during summer vacation at the beach, it is not a book about people having fun on holiday. These mothers are not happy campers. Not only do they feel very isolated and trapped in this small vacation community, they also are dissatisfied with their marriages and their kids and just life in general. This is a downbeat look at summer at the cottage. However, if you don't mind wading through all the angst and let the story take you where it will, you might find this story well worth reading as it takes you into the lives of these miserable folks.

New Word

Lisle: a strong fine cotton thread or fabric, formerly used to make stockings. 'After lunch, Marta had gone off to her room as usual, taken off her dress, and lain down on the bed in her slip, with her lisle stockings rolled to her knees.'