The Unfortunates

by Laurie Graham

'An irrepressible adventurer, Poppy is a comic combination of innocence and pluck, but although this is a brisk, breezy read, it's also a novel with serious bite.' Daily Mail The new novel from the bestselling author of THE FUTURE HOMEMAKERS OF AMERICA. One unforgettable woman and her wayward path through the twentieth century. What hope is there for Poppy Minkel? She has kinky hair, out-sticking ears, too yellow a neck and an appetite for fun, and her mother Dora despairs of ever finding her a husband, despite the Minkel's Mustard fortune that seasons these dubious attractions. When Daddy disappears, Poppy's tendency to the unusual is quietly allowed to flourish. World War I opens new horizons. With never a moment of self-doubt, she invents her own extraordinary life in step with the unfolding century. Narrated by a heroine as original and enchanting as Sally Bowles, The Unfortunates is an hilarious, sweeping celebration of passion's triumph over prudence.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor, Chick Lit, Historical

Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Laurie Graham was first published at the advanced age of 40. Gentle comedy is her style. She is the author of seventeen novels, including the best-selling The Future Homemakers of America and its sequel, The Early Birds

Mother of four, grandmother of many, Laurie is married to a New Yorker and lives in County Dublin, Ireland.

You can visit her website, read what she's up to and say hello at http://lauriegraham.com

Reviews

[Scarlett O.H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have any sensible words to review this book as it is so good. Yes Poppy Minkel is almost more selfish then Scarlet O'Hara ( see other reviews) " The Unfortunates" is written with dated views and outlandish standpoints from Poppy as the storyteller, you have to take this into account when reading. Most of the time she doesn't really understand what is going on around her and in the world in general. I had to read this book from front to cover as fast as I could, the history in the background and different social strata written about in this book are true historical fiction gold in my opinion and the voices Laurie Graham gives to her characters are so exceptionally good that this book and "Home makers of America" have made decide to get most of her other books to read in the future.

[Christopher Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a Fantastic book!! I love stories with lots of characters and families that span generations. This story started in 1912 and ended in 1978. The protagonist Poppy was a combination between Scarlett O'Hara and Mame Dennis. I literally had a hard time putting it down. It's a book i'll definitely read again.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was nothing like what I was expecting. The blurb on the back led me to believe it was going to be a book set in WWI, what I got instead was a book covering years and years of Poppy Minkels life.

Here are some of the things I didn't like about the book;

- You never really get to go into much detail on her life, because it's always moving so fast, just a quick, this happened and it was like this, and then this happened, and then before you know it another 10 years have passed. I guess I just don't like that kind of writing, I prefer good portions of narrative, along with the descriptive text, and you really didn't get that in this book. It was just little snippets of things that happened to her in her life.

- The main character and narrator, Poppy Minkel, I found to be an impossible character to like. She started out a naive 15-year-old, which considering she was a child you can forgive, but she remained naive until she was in her 20s, and then moved swiftly from naive to selfish, and often downright cruel.

- For a book that covers so many years and moves so fast between them, the book felt slow.

Overall I don't know if I just didn't get along with the reminiscent narrative, or if it was the main character I didn't like, or if it was how the book tried to cover too much time and too many events in too few pages, or if it was all of this. I just really didn't like this book.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I galloped through this; it's a frothy read, very entertaining. Of course it's not realistic -- Poppy is ridiculous -- but I really enjoyed the caricatures of New York Jews, bohemian Americans in Paris in the 1930s, and, especially, upper-class English people. Very well observed, and there are moments of pathos too, that stop it being completely frivolous. She rather reminds me of Zoë Heller, but less misanthropic -- some of the characters here are actually nice. Not Poppy though :)

The ending fell a bit flat, although I can't really decide how it should have ended. The first half was definitely better than the second.

A book I wouldn't have read without the book group, so thanks!

[Stephen Goldenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light and entertaining read but not as good as the 2 other Laurie Graham novels I've read - At Sea and The Future Homemakers of America. It relies rather too heavily on stereotypical characters although that is a deliberate part of the humour of the book.

[Tressa Rauh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the light-hearted story of Poppy Minkel, mustard heiress, and her adventures from 1912 thru the late 1970's. I found it to be a delightful and quick paced story that touches on the main historical events of that time in NYC, England, and Paris.

[Marie Grassick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book - read it every few years. One of my favourite unwitting heroines.

[Daniella McCrory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst I started out this book incredibly frustrated at the main character Poppy, I slowly grew to enjoy her ridiculousness and general ignorance to how the world works. It tells an interesting story of the 20th century (titanic sinking and two world wars) through the lens of a young girl, turned naive woman.

[Maha · Rating 1 out of 5]

The main character was so blatantly self-obsessed, selfish, and lacking in any positive qualities that I couldn't bear to carry on with the book. The writing itself was fine but Poppy set me so on edge I had to put the book away.

[Sarah Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes the best books are ones that you pick up in a charity shop, and then forget why you chose them.

This book was hilarious, witty, moving without being soppy and feminine without being sweet. Better still, it doesn't take itself too seriously, and ends perfectly.

Some reviewers have picked out Poppy's character as a point against the book. And yes, she is not the ideal mother, she is not a perfect heroine from an awful family, and she is not particularly intellectual or principled. But to me, she was a trooper. Poppy goes from overprotected spinster in training to being an easy woman, to being a wife, an adulteress, a single mother, an absentee mother, a wife (again), and finally becomes a rich, dowager like character with deep, closely guarded feelings and regrets.

Although I disliked Poppy when she left her children in the care of her sister, I understood it as being part of her complex character, and while she isn't lovable, she is a character I would look in the eye and shake hands with.

I also lovely Murrey, and felt that there was a love between the two of them that was somehow above romance and passion.

All the 'side' characters were perfectly imperfect, and the batty, eccentricity of this book has me already planning to read more by this author.

Poppy was a breath of city smog - toxic and strong - just like I like my heroines.

[Ellie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Laurie Graham as an author - have read many of her books and found them very funny and this was no exception. This is a light-hearted review of the last century but the references to 1920s - -1930s I particularly liked. What I particularly liked was the way the book was written in what I assume is authentic language of the day.

I've got a bit of a thing for the 1920s - 1930s at the moment so this book was perfect for me. It told the story of a woman and her family who were Jewish, living in NYC. She was born pre-war, bit of a rebel, parents sort of practicised Judaism but were a bit lax (but later some members were much more dedicated). They are a wealthy family and so she enjoys the trappings of this wealth, travelling to Paris, the UK, becoming an aviatrix. References are made to various historical events including the sinking of the Titanic and WW1 / WW2 and effect it had on home front in NYC. The story then continued into the 1950s / 1960s / 1970s documenting the ups and downs in the life of the main character.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book for the cover, then added it on Goodreads and was disconcerted to find every other edition bore one of those covers with a pastel-tinted photo of some women - which usually adorns the type of book I'm not terribly interested in. I would be grievously disappointed, I knew, if the heroine did not in fact fly a biplane with a dog in the back seat.

Luckily, although there's not nearly enough dog-accompanied aviation for my liking, there is some, and Poppy is a funny, engaging protagonist - although there are times when you long to slap her for her naivety or selfishness. Opening with the sinking of the Titanic and a shocking discovery for young Poppy Minkel, the Mustard Heiress, the book moves from New York to Paris to the English countryside and back to New York, through two World Wars, charting the progress and fortunes of a cast of eccentrics who are nonetheless very real and become very dear to the reader.

[Angela Moore Garden Tea Cakes and Me · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poppy the lead character is such a ridiculously annoying person. It follows the fortunes of a family in New York from the late 1890’s through to the 1970’s. So many major events in history touch their lives, as they travel and adventure to and fro America and Europe.

An easy book to read but with no depth to most of the story, it flits quickly from one character and point in time to the next. It covers the lives of four generations of the same family, but mostly focused on Poppy Minkel and all in just 365 pages. So no surprise there was no substance to each element of the story. I’m surprised I bothered to read until the end, mostly I just wanted to give Poppy a piece of my mind whilst I truntered on to myself as I turn over the page.

It’s only when I had nearly finished this book that I realised I had previously read the Duchess from Nowhere by the same author, whom I also found the main character Ducky to be ridiculously annoying. Not an author I would want to read again.

[Melissa Kirkby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty awful.

I was a huge fan of Graham’s ‘The Future Homemakers of America’ and so I was excited to give this a read. I only completely it because I’m a fast reader!

Poppy, the main character, is insufferable, selfish and cruel. It can be forgiven when the book begins and she is a 15yr old child, but as the book progresses and her behaviour continues, the book becomes more difficult to read.

I’m all for adultery and a difficult childhood to be part of a storyline, but the difficult relationship between Poppy and her daughter is never really explored in any great detail and after Sapphire’s death (suicide?), the elderly Poppy seems not to really care on more than a surface level. For the death of a child, she moves on pretty quickly. It just adds to the inability of the reader to like Poppy on any level. This may have been Graham’s intention, but it did not make me enjoy the book.

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t quite make up my mind about this. A first person narrative about the life of Poppy Minkel whose father goes down with the Titanic, she charts her own course in life despite an awkward upbringing. She is barely aware of her Jewish roots (this sounded unlikely) and strides through life discarding a husband, offloading her children and generally showing a ruthless selfish streak that should make her unappealing. However her wisecracking humour and compassion for others (but not always) make it hard to totally dislike her.

As a chronicle of the life of an emancipated 20th century woman it has its moments but it didn’t quite live up to the pleasure of reading The Future Homemakers of America.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really made me chuckle, but not out loud. Laurie Graham really knows how to write about a narcissist, Jews and English upper classes, she's done it so well. Years ago I would have been so angry with Poppy, but now it just made me smile. You really do need to hold the idea she is fictional, and that her children are fictional.

Loved the language, "I have to go to the hyce" ;-) and the whole English and American stuff around families and who they are.
I would never have chosen this book if I'd seen it on a shelf, so thank you to my book group for choosing it. I very much enjoyed it

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very funny novel about an American woman born at the turn of the twentieth century trying to make her own way in the world without the interference of her social-conscious mother, overbearing aunt and perfect sister. However, don't expect to like her. What starts off as endearing naivete in the young Poppy soon turns to a selfishness and lack of awareness that is arguably for worse than the behaviour of her relatives. It is through the reader's growing frustration with Poppy that Graham satirises people's pretensions, selfishness and desires to create comfortable lives. Well worth a read.

[Judi Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a most engaging tale of a young, naive, Jewish girl growing up in New York. Her mental growth encompasses both world wars and the period in between. During this time she grows from a gauche girl who doesn't fit anywhere and who knows nothing of the world into an individual - indeed, a positively eccentric - woman who, if she doesn't always completely know her own mind, is happy to live with the consequences of her actions. Anyone who (metaphorically) burned a bra in the Seventies will recognise themselves in Poppy Minkel.

Delightful though it is this is not the best book of Graham's I've read. That is 'Future Homemakers' of America'. See my review.

[Heatherandgwyneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Irritating. Yes. Selfish. Yes. Privileged. Without a doubt. Insufferable. Absolutely.Poppy Minkle is all of that, however despite this I forgave her, as she is of her time, class and culture. Very refreshing to get Jews not being Jewish, when it suits the situation. Not being victims, religious or traditional. I felt this family had more reality to them, than any other portrayal I have come across. I hope someone reads this book, so I can get their opinion. If you can stand Poppy Minkle, it is a good read.

[Sue Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Self-obsessed Poppy narrates this fast-moving novel that stretches from New York to Paris, covering two world wars and the modernisation of America. It's not just Poppy's naive optimism that entertains; so do the characters she meets along the way - English eccentrics, gay Parisiennes and an ever-expanding network of family, each with their own peculiar foibles. Short chapters mean the story races along; slick writing and sharp observations mean you end up thinking "just one more chapter" right up to the point that you finish the book. A great book for a rainy weekend.

[Wendy Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Unfortunates - Laurie Graham - recommend (38 of 63) 16 5 21
An unintentional re-read because I'd acquired the US version which is called the Great Husband Hunt and was excited to think I had a new Laurie Graham. 10 pages in I realised but her books are so enjoyable I carried on reading. This one is a 70 year family saga based round Poppy Minkel an American mustard heiress. Starts with the Titanic & weaves through 2 wars & 2 husbands. Graham is wonderfully tongue in cheek and the little haikus were brilliant.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

If i could I'd give this a two and a half.

Didn't find it 'wildly funny' or read and 'hilarious one liners'. Would classed this book in any shape or form as humorous, even so it was well written with a dislikable main character (in fact just two of the American characters were likable, whatever that was about!)

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highly enjoyable, well written, intelligent, funny, sometimes moving book with lots of eccentric characters and a swift storyline. Great to read as light relief (after Mistry's A Fine Balance which had plunged me into despair) because though it is light and frothy it also has depth of feeling and intelligence.

[Vickie Taylor-Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

The blurb on this book is misleading. It spans the whole of Poppy’s life not just WW1. Id have liked a bit more detail in some areas of her life but I think that was intentional given that poppy is supposed to be frivolous. An interesting take on some key historical moments but I wouldn’t say I loved it.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

::::isn’t this the same book as “The Great Husband Hunt”?::::::

Sure wish the publishers would warn us so we don’t purchase twice!
Other UK authors who have alternate titles for some of their novels published in USA. (ie, marcia willet, and roisin meany)

[Hilary Tesh]

I can appreciate the clever writing of this book but it’s not for me. I started off quite liking Poppy Minkel but by page 126, I found her intensely irritating and knew I couldn’t be bothered to plough through the next 50 years of her life.

[Jaye Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, the beginning took me ages to settle into.
Almost didn’t bother.
But I really enjoyed the last third, but not the ending.

A really ‘nothing’ ending, which was a disappointment compared the the last section of the book.

[Rachel Horwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. Interesting following a family through from many significant events in history including Titanic sinking, WWI, WWII and so on. Fun to ponder on how the upper classes live, behave and beliefs. Had a chuckle at many phrases and words. Especially liked " keen to slenderize"

[Dawn Folley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read. Changing faces of religion and acceptance. Poppy is an adventuress. A flier, witty and captivating. A combination of Dorothy Parker and Amelia Earhart. So self centred. She has a strong voice, but inspires little sympathy.

[Brie · Rating 3 out of 5]

quite a bit hokie.... as if all of these things happened!