The Middlesteins: A Powerful Family Drama by Jami Attenberg
The Middlesteins is a literary fiction novel that explores the complexities of marriage, family dynamics, and our relationship with food through the lens of a suburban Chicago family in crisis.
Story Overview
For over thirty years, Edie and Richard Middlestein built what appeared to be a solid family life in the Chicago suburbs. But their marriage begins to fracture when Richard makes the devastating decision to leave Edie, citing her dangerous obsession with food and her enormous weight gain. Edie's relationship with eating has become all-consuming, and her health hangs in the balance.
When Richard abandons his wife, the responsibility falls to their adult children and extended family. Robin, their schoolteacher daughter, is determined to hold her father accountable. Benny, the easy-going son and family man, attempts to mediate and keep the peace. Rachelle, Benny's perfectionist wife, takes on the monumental task of saving Edie's life while simultaneously planning her twin children's elaborate b'nai mitzvah celebration.
The novel poses a central question that resonates throughout: Are Edie's choices hers alone to bear, or does the responsibility extend to those around her?
About This Edition
This paperback edition from Grand Central Publishing captures Jami Attenberg's pitch-perfect prose, combining compassion with sly humor. The Middlesteins was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction, cementing its place as a significant work in contemporary American literature.
Themes and Setting
Set against the backdrop of Midwestern America, specifically suburban Illinois, the novel examines new and old love, the yearnings of suburban life, and America's complex relationship with food. The Jewish family's story touches on cultural identity, generational differences, and the weight of family obligations during major life transitions.
