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From: rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher)
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Re: RE:  My request for a book title
Message-ID: <668@ihuxk.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 28-Jun-84 13:09:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxk.668
Posted: Thu Jun 28 13:09:30 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 30-Jun-84 03:19:51 EDT
References: <911@ihuxw.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 17

Contrary to popular belief, Helen Hooven Santmeyer didn't spend
50 years writing "... And Ladies of the Club".  This was erroneously
reported in one of the first reviews of the book, and has been repeated
by most reviewers.  The author refuted this in an interview, although I can't
recall where I read the interview (it might have been in Newsweek, or in
US News and World Report).  She had been thinking about writing the book
for many many years,but the actual writing was done over several years,
(much less than 50).  There was also an interesting story on how the book
was "discovered", etc.  This book should win the 1984 award for "
"most unlikely best seller", as who would have ever predicted that an 1100
page novel centered around a small town, midwestern ladies literary club
would attract so much attention.  It must be very well written.  Apparently,
if you can get ~100 pages into it, you're hooked.

Bob Schleicher
ihuxk!rs55611
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, Ill.