A Place in the Country

by Laura Shaine Cunningham

A second memoir by the author of the acclaimed Sleeping Arrangements, Laura Shaine Cunningham's quest for the perfect country house is both hilarious and touching. The New York Times hailed this book as a New York Times Notable Book and The New Yorker published an excerpt...The New York Times Book Review promised would give as much joy as the classic "The Egg and I." Hilarious yet poignant. Having grown up as a city child- 7 people to 3 rooms- she always longed for green acres and a romantic Colonial style house. Her search takes her on many adventures- to a kosher "Country Club" in the Catskills to a movie set on a dilapidated farm where she must enact a survivor of a nuclear holocaust- to a rented castle in gated Tuxedo Park and then at last- to the estate of an English Lord that exceeds her fantasies but features many surprises. She finds herself raising a fat flock of geese, two demented goat sisters and falling in love with the herd of Holsteins whose life is a gustatory march to an endless lunch. Lugging 50 pound sacks of Chow, she gets little product from her lazy livestock but loads of pleasure.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 26, 2000

Reviews

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Laura Shaine Cunningham's second memoir, following in the footsteps of "Sleeping Arrangements". It is a delightful continuation of a story told with humor of the city girl yearning for the country life. Her search for her much-dreamed of country home comes with undreamed of obstacles, including demented goat sisters. If that doesn't grab your interest, nothing will!

[Sharon Bandhold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly superb writing!! Highly addictive!!

I read Sleeping Arrangements right before this. The 1st quarter of this book reviews the other, so that you don't have to have read Sleeping Arrangements 1st, which is still well worth reading. Extremely well written & very poignant. I grew up in Kingston, NY, lost my mother when I was 9, & in my 20s & early 30s worked in NY City, so the themes of these 2 of Ms. C's books resonated strongly with me. I appreciate Ms. C sharing her life thru her sentimental, magical writing style. This book really hit me square in the heart. An author to follow & cherish. I know I'm going to read everything she's written! Soooo highly addictive!

[Mia Carelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a city slicker who fantasizes about a move to the country, I'd highly recommend this book. Laura Shaine Cunningham writes with wit and sensitivity, recounting her life-long desire for a pastoral home and the challenges of finally attaining it. Heart-felt and true, the author has a wonderful, warm quality and I looked forward to reading more about her journey every evening.

[Elaine Hale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because I loved Sleeping Arrangements so very much. It was nice to be able to "stay with" the author a little longer. I think, most likely Laura Shaine relaxed more into writing this memoir, which had a less polished feel than Sleeping Arrangements. I wanted to "hear" how she got on, how that special sort of upbringing she had earlier described, was built upon as the years progressed. It was lovely to read that she eventually had that much loved and loveable Uncle Len living with her. And I was sad to hear about the culmination of her marriage which she described as "painful" and something she preferred not to relate. That must have been a hard time but with such kind and doting uncles who brought her it must have been a difficult thing to match the extent of that love...or am I psychoanalysing too much?
Laura Shaine found such solace in her country retreat and she seemed to "grow into" living there so that she became a well accepted part of the local community with whom she integrated well, including her much loved cows.
At the end of the book, this is the part that got me thinking, made me want to ask more:-

"You could say I have ended up where I wanted to be, smack in the center of the circuit of memory. For eighteen, years I have walked this land, sometimes in circles, most often by myself. As laughable as this may sound, my long introspection at my country place has yielded this truth: what I sometimes took for moroseness was joy, a contemplation so sustained that it could be confused with melancholy."

It made me reflect upon my own life and how maybe the very still and melancholic times I have experienced, especially during these pandemic times, sometimes when I have felt somewhat
morose also, may in some years to come cause me to reflect and think of them as filled with solace and safeness and love. Thanks for that inspiration.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love her book, Sleeping Arrangements, a memoir of her childhood. It was nice to be able to "spend more time with her" when she was a successful writer, yearning to find a place in the country. She found it and it is an amazing place. She introduces us to her neighbors and friends and adopts two girls. We meet her uncles again. I was so happy to hear about them. They are two of my favorite heroes. I love her writing style. (She is a little nutty, especially about cows!) It's a lovely book, probably a 3.7, the rating that comes up in the Goodreads average.

[Lanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this one up at the thrift store, always a sucker for farming/country life memoirs. Unfortunately, this 'Country Home' was 20-something rooms... certainly nothing the average joe can relate to. I have not read her earlier memoir, but can't say that I have any desire to, as much of her childhood was covered in the first 100+ pages of this book before she even buys said "Place in the Country".

[Shay Lange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Autobiographical coming of age story. Loved the voice she used to write the book. She describes her experiences with wit,grace and candor. I very much identified with the protagonist. The farther I read, the more I wanted to know what would happen next. The ending is bittersweet.

[Laura Shaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I am the author of this memoir which follows my first, Sleeping Arrangements.

[Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A continuation of Sleeping Arrangements

This was a continuation of author's other book. Gave details of life with Rosie and the later life of her uncles. Made me think of my childhood and youth where family was a building where all congregated. This is a beautiful book. To understand more you have to read Sleeping Arrangements and both books are a gem.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Up and down. Sometimes very nice country Reading, the rest mere bio of the author.

[Misha Fredericks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bore-a-thon

[Treasure Island Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and entertaining story of a woman raised in the city who finally found her home in the country.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read and enjoyed this book years ago, and now, after reading her Sleeping Arrangements, decided to re-read this one. I didn't like it as much the second time around, but it's not bad...Sleeping Arrangements is better.

[Tara]

Got 6 more books today at the 2nd hand store by mom. B2G1 free. :) So, 6 books for $4. This is one of my buys for today 1/30/13. I need to find the one before this though - "Sleeping Arrangements". http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68...

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relaxing and humorous.

[Holly Weiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Utica Book Club.

[Bobbi Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

It reads like fiction - hard to believe it is a memoir.