A Second-Hand Life

by Charles Jackson, Charles R. Jackson

First printing. Sixth novel by the author of the classic book on alcoholism "The Lost Weekend." In this, the author explores the life of a woman 'with a powerful excessive attraction to the male.' 337 pp.

Genres: Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. Not all books on this page belong to the same author.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a mixed bag. The over-arching effect was nice, what with the two protagonists' lives devoid of love for two opposite reasons, but Jackson's writing style irked me a bit. He let tangential ideas go on for too long and wrote paragraph-length sentences for no other reason I can see than to control his use of periods. Additionally, I felt that his take on the female consciousness was unrealistic.

I will say that Jackson scattered some beautiful ponderings and turns of phrase in the book...but it took me so damn long to plod through this thing that I can't, in good conscience, recommend this too highly.

[Shaun Perkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the actually the first book I've been able to read all the way through in a long time. So why only 2 stars? I truly think Jackson had no clue how sexual abuse affects a young girl. He also seems to think that an 8-year-old girl would be interested in sex. The girl who grows into the main character is an interesting one, and that's why I continued to read. But I was continually aware of how screwed up is the author's vision of what a female's life is like. The details, the feelings, the descriptions of places and rooms--those are all so evocative. But behind all of that, I was angry at the willful ignorance of the root causes of "nymphomania."

[Jordan Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever-- a fun, if not ultimately satisfying, take on nymphomania and anhedonia.

[Mistina Christner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book and and interesting way to look at how women not getting married and having "casual" sex was viewed in the 60's. I was shocked that there was sexual abuse of a minor in this book that was depicted like it was normal, and maybe that was the way that the author thought it would be the most shocking, but I also think that it was very accurate for how an childhood abuse victim would feel about it later in life. Interesting read, but not what I was expecting from this book!

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

A tale about a woman infatuated with men, and a man who doesn't know how to love - not that he wants to learn. She says that its the way they were born, there was nothing they could do about it. I say, this was a long drawn out book about nothing. It is written pretty well - but...I still can't find the point. I suppose it is something on the nature vs. nurture Idea, as she believes it is all nature, but I don't buy it. and I am glad I am done with this book.