DON'T PUT THE BOATS AWAY

Sheldon’s (Eleanor’s Wars, 2018) historical sequel follows the struggles of one American family as they attempt to heal from losses suffered during World War II.

The novel opens in 1945 as Harriet Sutton arrives in Madison, Wisconsin, excited to study chemistry at the University of Wisconsin. She hopes that, despite the stumbling blocks facing women in the sciences, she might one day be able to work alongside her father at his chemical company. Although she repeatedly encounters sexist bias, Harriet achieves success in her academic career, although not in her personal life; she keeps dodging her boyfriend Frank’s marriage proposals. Meanwhile, her younger brother, Nat, battles with their father, George, who rejects the young man’s plans to attend music school. Nat is deeply passionate about music and refuses to give up his dream, so he forges a path forward on his own. As he and Harriet dance around their father’s edicts, they notice that their mother, Eleanor, is spiraling further into grief over their brother, Eddie, who was killed during the war. Her torment is worsened by her memories of her own service during World War I as well as her burgeoning alcoholism. The story follows the Suttons for two decades as both Harriet and Nat experiment with different professional positions and personal relationships. The meandering nature of the tale makes it read, at times, more like a memoir than a novel. That said, the author creates believable characters with complex interior lives in consistently clear prose. Although it’s a sequel to Sheldon’s first book, this novel stands up well on its own. It’s chock-full of well-researched historical details about political events, medical advancements, and even food trends of the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s, and it also offers important commentary on professional opportunities for women during these decades. Overall, it’s a touching tale that examines the ways in which grief, regret, and unmet expectations can reverberate through generations. 

A low-key but informative story of healing and coming-of-age in midcentury America.