The “external” tension of the book comes from the big break in her husband’s career. Amanda’s husband Bob is a lawyer in the Justice Department’s anti-trust division. As Amanda is attempting to deal with her insecurities and doubts about motherhood, Bob is given the “big case” – an anti-trust suit against software giant Megabyte. Soon Bob is working late every night, getting invited to posh parties, and even appearing on the Sunday talking heads news programs. This of course only increases the pressure on Amanda and tensions escalate. Things get worse when the personal life of one of Amanda’s friends and her husband’s work collide. Amanda gets caught in the crossfire and soon becomes a part of the Washington gossip scene with damaging results for her husband’s career and their marriage. If that is not enough, Amanda’s mother comes to visit. Crittenden brings this all to a boil and adds a few additional plot twists to keep you on your toes. I won’t spoil the ending but obviously something has to change or the situation would simply explode. The book doesn’t end with everything perfectly resolved but rather leaves Amanda more comfortable with the tensions and ambiguities of life.
So what does all this mean, you might ask. It means an interesting read for one. Granted this is not high literature but neither is it a trashy romance novel. It is a thoughtful yet breezy look at modern life. It deals honestly with insecurity and self-doubt yet manages satire and dark humor. The plot is not complex or intricate but it holds your interest and helps pull you through Amanda’s internal struggles. The book has its share of sappy dialogue and one dimensional characters but at times the writing is crisp and witty. The Megabyte case is almost too obviously a parody of Microsoft and the affluent Bobos of the Beltway may be hard to relate too if you have never lived in DC but for the most part the thoughts, emotions, and experiences of Amanda and her family seemed very real to me. In fact one of the reasons I moved back to the Midwest was to avoid the potential stress and tension present in this book. Even though I am obviously not a stay at home mom, I could relate to the doubts and insecurities of Amanda. I could sympathize with the frustration she experienced when the world turned out to be a lot different than she imagined it to be; when once bright hopes and dreams seem unreachable. The story doesn’t end in depression or euphoria but in reality. In doing the best you can for those you love; in working out a compromise between the ideal and the practicable. In learning to be comfortable in your own skin as you grow older. Amanda Bright@Home is an interesting and enjoyable way to think about these issues. Summer reading with food for thought as a bonus – that ought to be worth something these days.
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