The Middlesteins (2012) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Characters/People edit see section history

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• Craig Rossman: Full of poignant family moments and self-conscious refection, I loved the funny, angry Middlesteins. I especially recommend it for anyone who has ever struggled with the anger and sadness of weight problems.
• Aaron: Add a description of this character.
• Victor Long
• Naomi
• Albert Weinman
• Roger Harris
• Golda Meir
• Scotty
• Rachelle: Edie and Richards uptight daughter-in-law. Rachelle always exudes an air of perfectness.
• Robin: Edie and Richards rebelious daughter. Robin is a teacher in Chicago.
• Anna: Kenneth's daughter who works with him in the Chinese restaurant.
• Emily: Edie and Richard's grandaughter. Rachelle and Benny's daughter. Emily is about to turn 13 and is confused about life and her relationship with everyone.
• Teresa
• Benny Middlestein: Edie and Richards son. Benny takes care of his family, and in return, takes care of himself with a nightly joint.
• Marie: Kenneth's wife who died of cancer.
• Daniel: Robbin's quiet and understanding boyfriend/drinking buddy.
• Abraham
• Beverly: A red-headed British woman who captures Richard's attention later in life.
• Edie Herzen
• Faye
• Richard Middlestein: Husband of Edie, father of Benny and Robin.
• Josh Middlestein: Benny and Rachelle's son. He is the twin of Emily Middlestein.
• Naumann
• Carly
• Pierre Gonzales
• Ethan
• Kenneth Song: Owner of a Chinese restaurant that Edie frequents. Very fond of Edie. Father of Anna Song, who also works at his restaurant.
• Tracy

Quotes edit see section history

• “I always feel that you're waiting for me to say something, she told him once in her head, where it was safe for sentences like that.”

  Robin

• “On the wall across from the kitchen table hung a macramé owl with large brown agate stones for eyes. Edie had put it there when they moved into the house in 1980, when Robin was just a baby. The cleaning woman dusted it every week, but it still seemed to be coated with some sort of old filth. A twig hung forlornly from its claws. For ten years Edie had been meaning to take it down. No joke, an entire decade. But Edie had been busy.”

• “Later, in the car, in the parking lot, outside the sports bar, where two women in their twenties leaned against a wall sharing one cigarette, outside the 7-Eleven, where a UPS man purchased a two-liter of Coca-Cola and two overcooked hot dogs drenched in cheese sauce, outside a cell-phone store, where a bored salesgirl working her way through community college slumped behind a counter texting a girl who had pissed her off at a party the night before, outside a Chinese restaurant where the food was made with love by a man who was once an unstoppable chef, in love with his work, in love with his life, until he lost his wife to cancer and he became sad for a long time, until his daughter said, "Stop it," and now here he was, cooking again, outside of all this, Edie and Robin sat, Edit staring out the window, Robin with her head against the steering wheel.”

• “"We are allowed to have more than one feeling at once, said Kenneth. "We are human beings, not ants."”

  Kenneth

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Jami Attenberg (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• Kirkus Star
• Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Finalist, 2012: Fiction, Shortlist)

Notes for Parents edit see section history

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Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › Women's Fiction › Domestic Life
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Literary