Slender, potent, and utterly engaging, I Married You For Happiness combines marriage, mathematics, and the probability of an afterlife to create Lily Tuck's most affecting and riveting book yet.
“His hand is growing cold, still she holds it” is how this novel that tells the story of a marriage begins. The tale unfolds over a single night as Nina sits at the bedside of her husband, Philip, whose sudden and unexpected death is the reason for her lonely vigil. Still too shocked to grieve, she lets herself remember the defining moments of their long union, beginning with their meeting in Paris. She is an artist, he a highly accomplished mathematician: a collision of two different worlds that merged to form an intricate and passionate love. As we move through select memories—real and imagined—Tuck reveals the most private intimacies, dark secrets, and overwhelming joys that defined Nina and Philip's life together.
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"Although this was a short novel (190 pages), this author's work will stick with me. It was equal parts sweet and sad, with a gorgeous way of describing a marriage that has come to an unexpected, abrupt end. The style was unique in that it truly seemed to capture how a lot of people think....one memory that evolves into a completely different thought, that may or may not come back to the initial memory. I also appreciated the poetry, it was really beautiful. I loved Philip's character, but was a little put off by Nina and her reckless behavior. I would love to delete a lot of her actions, but making everything perfect in a novel defeats the purpose of the message I suppose. Really glad I invested the time to read something completely different than I normally pick up...will add some more Lily Tuck to my bookshelf:-)"
— Patti (4 out of 5 stars)
" This is a classic example whereby my utter distaste and dislike for the narrator clouds my perspective on the fine writing within. "
— Trent, 2/16/2014" I am a sucker for beautiful language and ideas. This very short novel is about physics, marriage, math, and youth. A meditation of the life of a couple. It is not a riveting story, but such a lovely piece writing. "
— Emily, 2/3/2014" Tight novel where a widow reflects on her marriage immediately following her husband's death. "
— Paula, 1/18/2014" I loved this book - until the end. I was very confused by the ending. I quite possibly am too stupid to understand it, but if you've read this book let me know so you can enlighten me! "
— Holly, 1/10/2014" The weaving in and out of decades works well in this novel. Beautifully written. "
— Katharine, 11/17/2013" I'm not sure how much of my "meh" reaction to this was because I truly felt it was meh, or because I read it on the weekend after Newtown, and suddenly the problems of a long- and mostly happily married couple didn't seem that critical. "
— Amy, 11/15/2013" This is a prime example of why I aspire to read & speak French. "
— Dana, 7/24/2013" I thought I was enjoying this until I wasn't anymore. I made it about halfway through. It had some tender moments and phrasing but that wasn't enough to sustain it for me. "
— Linda, 3/30/2013" #whitepeopleproblems "
— Amanda, 2/23/2013" I'm neutral about this book, which makes it hard to rate. I definitely don't have anything negative to say, but I can't really say anything positive either. I read it, I don't mind that I read it, and then it was over and I don't mind that either. "
— Jenni, 1/29/2013" oring, story of husband dies, remembering the relationship "
— Yxlrdr, 5/30/2012" Very skillful transitions throughout the whole book. I liked Philip's probability stories. I don't understand why Nina did some of the things she did, like allow Didier to do what he did. She confused me. But overall, very good. "
— Caitlin, 1/17/2012Lily Tuck is the author of several novels, including Interviewing Matisse or the Woman Who Died Standing Up, The Woman Who Walked on Water, Siam, or the Woman Who Shot a Man, which was nominated for the 2000 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, and The News From Paraguay, winner of the National Book Award. She is also the author of the biography Woman of Rome, A Life of Elsa Morante. Her short stories have appeared in the New Yorker and in several collections.
Barbara Caruso, winner of numerous Earphones Awards for narration, is an accomplished actress. A graduate of London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she was a featured player in the Royal Shakespeare Company. She has played starring roles on Broadway and in theaters across the country. She won the Alexander Scourby Reader of the Year Award for her performances of young adult fiction and has more than one hundred audiobook narrations to her credit.