Balancing Acts: A Novel [Paperback]

Zoe Fishman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 16, 2010

A poignant debut novel about the transformative powers of yoga and friendship for four women on the verge of realizing their dreams

With beauty, brains, and a high-paying Wall Street position, Charlie was a woman who seemed to have it all—until she turned thirty and took stock of her life, or lack thereof. She left it all behind to pursue yoga, and now, two years later, she's looking to drum up business for her fledgling studio in Brooklyn. Attending her college's alumni night with fliers in tow, she reconnects with three former classmates whose post-graduation lives, like hers, haven't turned out like they'd hoped.

Romance book editor Sabine still longs to write the novel that's bottled up inside her. Once an up-and-coming photographer and Upper East Side social darling, Naomi is now a single mom who hasn't picked up her camera in years. And Bess, who dreamed of being a serious investigative journalist a la Christiane Amanpour, is stuck in a rut, writing snarky captions for a gossip mag. But at a weekly yoga class at Charlie's studio, the four friends, reunited ten years after college, will forge new bonds and take new chances—as they start over, fall in love, change their lives...and come face-to-face with haunting realities.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fishman strikes the right balance in her warm-fuzzy debut of rekindled friendship and self-empowerment. When four women who'd gone to college together run into each other at an alumni mixer, an instant bond is formed as Charlie convinces Bess, Naomi, and Sabine to join a beginner yoga class for just the four of them at her Brooklyn yoga studio. During the six weeks of class, the foursome proves to be easy to relate to as each discovers the strength to overcome some obstacle in their life. Bess has hard news aspirations, but is stuck peddling celebrity news at a gossip rag. Single mom Naomi has shuttered her photography career for better-paying Web design work. Sabine has worked at the same publishing house since graduation, shelving her desire to be an author. And though Charlie has taken the leap from her Wall Street career to business owner and yoga instructor, she's weighed down by the hurt left by an ex-boyfriend. It's perfectly adequate if not especially distinguished from the trove of other books of female friendship, bonding, and weathering the vicissitudes of life with a little help from a hobby. (Mar.)
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From Booklist

When Charlie decides to leave her high-paying job as a Wall Street banker to open her own yoga studio in Brooklyn, her biggest obstacle isn’t convincing her friends and family that she’s not crazy, but finding customers to keep her in business. At her college’s 10-year reunion, she reconnects with three prime would-be customers: Naomi, the former queen of the Upper East Side and hot photographer who now finds herself a single mother without inspiration; Sabine, a cheesy book editor who still hasn’t written the novel she has always meant to write; and Bess, who finds herself writing bitchy captions for a tabloid rather than investigating the real news. Charlie signs them all up for beginners yoga, where they learn to lean on each other as they deal with the disappointments in their lives and begin to make some serious changes. Fishman combines humor and brutal honesty as she keeps four story lines going and tracks the growing friendship among the women. --Claire Orphan

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; Original edition (March 16, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061711802
• ISBN-13: 978-0061711800
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #551,346 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

First things first, you should know that Zoe is writing this profile in third person and feeling very uncomfortable while doing so. That said, what's the alternative? First person feels strange as well. Okay, here we go.

Zoe grew up in Mobile, Alabama. After college at Boston University, she arrived in New York with nary a clue and an inflated sense of self-importance. After many years working in the publishing industry and living in Brooklyn, she made the move to Atlanta with her husband in August 2011.

She's the author of Balancing Acts (March '10) and Saving Ruth (May '12). Every day, she can't believe she's lucky enough to call herself a published author. Every day.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We are all alike when it comes to what matters., March 26, 2010

By 

Poppy J. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Balancing Acts: A Novel (Paperback)

The story begins by relating how four college acquaintances meet again at a ten year college reunion. They each are looking for love, wanting to find themselves and wondering how they will improve the quality of their lives. The women are Naomi, Charlie, Bess and Sabine, and they all decide it is time for a change (each for different reasons). Charlie has just the right catalyst for the women, when she suggests that they take yoga classes from her in an effort to reconnect with themselves and each other. Charlie has opened up a business with a few other partners, and she offers yoga classes to the public. The book centers on the classes and the women's different reactions to going to the class and developing new relationships by opening their minds to something new.

The story begins with the premise that all of the women are not on the same footing socially and emotionally. In actuality, Bess has designs to write a story about the women to show that they have not followed their dreams and sold out on their plans for the future. Her intention is to show that she has done better than these women have, even though she is pretending to bond with them both in and out of the yoga class.

Throughout the book, the reader understands that Bess learns that she is not so unlike the women that she seeks to expose in her article. Each chapter is named for the women featured in the story. They chronicle the lives of the women, and show how they find or reject the idea of love, and describe how they make sense of the fabric of their lives.

The story also defines the progression of the women's journey into performing, understanding and learning to love themselves and love learning about yoga. There are a few predictable turns in the story, but the ending is first rate. I'd recommend this book to women of any age, it is a winner.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Peaceful. Soothing. Relaxing., March 18, 2010

By 

Deborah "Books, Movies and Chinese Food" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Balancing Acts: A Novel (Paperback)

I'm not a yoga person. Believe me I've tried. I've just never gotten into the craze and to be honest I'm not very flexible. Still, I was drawn to this book because I love stories about friendship. And this book definitely did not disappoint. Even if you're clueless about yoga like me, it's absolutely possible to really enjoy this book. The writing is refreshing and relaxing almost as if you have done a session of yoga yourself.

I read this book after a recent first time trip to New York City and I was very excited to read about the city as this was the first book I had read that took place in NYC since my trip. Even though I didn't recognize any of the places, the story takes place in Brooklyn which is where I stayed for my trip as well as mention of the subway. This might be old news for folks who are New Yorkers or have been there several times but for me it was very exciting that I could finally relate to what everyone was talking about.

All four of the characters were easy to relate to and I found myself liking all of them. Naomi's character was probably my favorite as I felt her story involving her son, her ex and her medical issues, to be very in depth and yet engaging to read. Bess, while annoying me at bit at first, soon grew on me as she struggles to find her identity between her life in NYC and with her boyfriend. I really liked her visit with her parents as it helped her to discover where she belonged. Charlie's story didn't really stand out to me as the other three did but I really liked how her story is the anti Sex and the City. She was very brave to go after what she felt her heart wanted as opposed to staying in a job that was financially secure. Sabine's story had be cracking up. I loved her reactions with Subway guy because that's probably who I would have acted myself and I found myself laughing over the situation. I was very worried for a bit that the Sabine/Zach storyline was going to end up like an episode of Sex and the City where the good guy gets dumped for a jerk. I won't spoil the ending but I'll say I was VERY satisfied when my assumptions turned out wrong.

I really loved how the stories blended together yet each character was given her own separate story. The writing in the book flows very nicely and I was immediately drawn into the story. I wouldn't say this book is chick lit although it can read like one. More so, it's a book about women and friendships and how life may not turn out the way you had intended but it still works out for the best. I liked how even though not everyone has a conclusion that is entirely happy, it is where they accept their lives to be for the time period. This is Fishman's debut novel and it's a winner. I cannot wait to read her next book no matter what the subject as long as she keeps writing like this. VERY HIGHLY recommended. Namaste.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, March 21, 2010

By 

Mint910 (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Balancing Acts: A Novel (Paperback)

Balancing Acts came into my life at precisely the right time, I started yoga about 2 months ago and have been loving it. Balancing Acts was the perfect meld of yoga and the type of book I love to read, I just loved it.

I'm instantly attracted to books that are told in rotating perspective and Balancing Acts happens to explore these 4 women's journeys through each of their 4 voices. I loved all four of their voices with Bess just coming in slightly behind the other 3 women because of her initial motives to join the yoga class and not letting go of it as fast as I would have liked.

I liked how the story balances humor and serious matters, it was just a joy to read, with each woman going through her own journey. Specifically I loved Sabine's interactions with someone she called Subway Crush (I can relate), Naomi's occupation as a graphic designer (again, I can relate) and how she leans on the people in her life when she's used to taking care of herself and her son, and Charlie's journey from Wall Street to Yoga and the sweet cafe owner she finds on the way.

I also want to mention, that just because I've been doing yoga doesn't mean I think you have to be a yogi to enjoy the book. I will admit it's fun comparing it to my own yoga experience but I know I would have liked it if I would have read it without having any knowledge of yoga. There is really something for everyone to relate to here. Would definitely recommend it!!