BOOK REPORT: Recipe For a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown

      2018. Nate and Alice Hale move from busy New York City to a dilapidated 1940’s fixer-upper complete with the former occupant’s belongings in the quiet suburb of Greenville. Nate is ecstatic. Alice, not so much. Happy that Alice has resigned her PR position Nate feels it’s the perfect time to start a family and Alice can write the book she’s anticipated for so long.


Alice isn’t so sure she’s ready for a family. She’s at a loss without her PR job. Whoever heard of being fired for one innocent mistake. Alice feels alone and foreign in suburbia until she meets he older neighbor, Sally.  


1955, Nellie Murdoch, has the perfect life. Husband, home, and a beautiful garden she loves tending. The garden reminds Nellie of the fun times she and her spent together when she was a child. 


Her husband Richard is desperate for Nellie to become pregnant so that he too can prove his masculinity becoming a father like his male counterparts. Nellie has been pregnant before but miscarried the day Richard arrived home from work finding Nellie working in the garden instead of preparing his after work cocktail and placing dinner on the table. A furious Richard chastened her too roughly. 

Nellie finds a friend in Miriam her older neighbor who sees and hears the abuse.  Richard doesn’t allow his abusive nature to be seen by anyone. That would make things imperfect.

Nellie entrusts Miriam to hold on to letters she writes to her mother but never mails. 

In 2018, Miriam’s daughter, Sally gives the letters to Alice. Upon reading their contents, Alice is privy to Nellie’s life as a “perfect” wife. It also opens her mind to what she wants in life.

 As the author relates the stories of both women, the reader can see how both want to be seen, heard and recognized as a person. Examine the similarities and difference in the lives of two separate women living 63 years apart. 

Throughout the book. Alice's chapters begin with an admonition on the duties of a perfect wife.

Nellie's chapters begin with a rolling pin icon and  recipe that the author has collected from vintage cookbooks or one of her own.

My experience making  Herbed Cheese Popovers. From the 5 Roses Cook Book (1913)

Additional recipes and credits 

The covers of this books speak volumes. On the hard cover the title obliterates the woman's face indicating her lack of worth. The paperback copy shows the imperfections of the woman displaying her as jagged. Yet in another sense it could symbolize the many facets of this person. Her face is also covered.

!!!!SPOILER ALERT !!!: I subscribe to Cityline on Facebook. Two of the personalities were discussing the book with its author. If you want to know what was discussed click the Cityline link above. The video is about 18 minutes long.

NOTE: I did notice that the title on the books they have don't cover the woman.

This was a fantastic read. It had surprises that I didn't even know were coming. But I guess that's what a surprise is.😃 If there's a sequel, I'll be in line for it.

That's it ***

Modern Day Slavery

You can't engage in any form of  media today without seeing something about missing people. Most often it's a child.   Hope for safe return is always at the forefront. Most often than not, it's not the case. 

A section of the  National Underground Railroad Freedom Center- Cincinnati, Ohio displays various forms of this heinous practice.

Rumors flourish as to what happens to those never found.

Below  is Margo's story

When Margo's dad stopped fondling her because he'd collapsed into a drunken  stupor, it was her chance to escape. She ran away with no place to go and no plan beyond getting away from the constant abuse.

Lenny, the guy buying cigarettes at the convenience store, saw that she was looking for something to eat, and he offered to buy her some snacks. Crying, she told him about home and he cared.

"Margo, he said soothingly, "I can give you a place to stay until you sort things out at home."

BELOW is how Lenny helped Margo.

Inside the circular  window above is a soiled mattress. It states, "After 16 her (Margo) new life had begun." 

Above.  Salila is riding to the city for her first day on a new job. Salila is unaware of what type of job awaits her.

A replica  maze of beds as depicted in sex slave operation.

The boxes indicate people being taken and moved around the same as  one would pack personal inanimate belongings. 

These unfortunate people are not seen as human beings but as chattel to be done with by the owner as he or she wishes.

The text on the boxes indicate numerous ways the uninformed and desperate become victims. 

•        parents who sell their children so that they (the remaining       family) can survive,
•  child soldiers, 
• parents who are told their child will receive an education in a nearby city or a different country never to be seen again,
•  farm laborers. 
• kidnapping and abduction

The very young are most vulnerable because of their innocence, lack of knowledge of life and they are not as strong.

There were other displays on this subject but I'd seen enough.

That's it ***