Cars from a Marriage [Hardcover]

Debra Galant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 27, 2010

An “auto-biography” of a marriage from the highly acclaimed author who deftly navigates the lives of one suburban couple with humor and insight

From a ’74 Mustang to a Chevy Suburban, Debra Galant’s Cars from A Marriage charts the important events—big and small—in one couple’s relationship by way of the automobiles that drive them throughout the course of their lives. Ivy is a transplanted Southern belle—the daughter of a car salesman— who continually wonders how she has ended up a New Jersey stay-at-home mom with a not-so-secret fear of driving. Her husband Ellis was a stand up comedian when they met, and the owner of that ’74 Mustang, but his ambitions were overshadowed by the responsibilities of a family. In the blink of an eye he became a PR executive with a mortgage, two kids, and a Buick LeSabre.

 

The cars steer us from their first meeting, to their first fight, and down the line to a family funeral. Finally, it’s on a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway that Ivy and Ellis come to some serious and illuminating realizations about their lives. With insights that alternate between hilarious and profound, Galant provides a unique, unforgettable portrait of a marriage.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her third novel, Galant (Fear and Yoga in New Jersey) explores a marriage through the lens of the various cars that the couple owns during their 20 years together. Yes, it sounds like a gimmick, but it comes off much better than it sounds. Ivy, whose father owns a dealership and is convinced she's going to die in a car accident, moves to New York City (where cars are optional) after college and meets future husband Ellis. It's not love at first sight, and things are in fact more than a little rocky, as Galant reveals the troubles they go through together, the trials of raising two daughters, Ellis's extensive traveling for his job, and temptations outside of their marriage—all centered around stories involving their cars, from Ellis's bachelor Mustang to more family-friendly conveyances. This family is far from perfect, and Galant proves adept at revealing what's in their hearts, giving readers an affecting and strikingly honest look at a marriage. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

DEBRA GALANT is the author of Rattled and Fear and Yoga in New Jersey. She is also the creator of the popular blog Baristanet.com. She lives in Glen Ridge, New Jersey.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (April 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312367279
• ISBN-13: 978-0312367275
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,863,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Former "Jersey" columnist for The New York Times, I'm now editor-in-chief of the Baristanet.com, a local community blog based in northern New Jersey that gets 10,000 visits daily.

My new book, "Cars from a Marriage," comes out April 27.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put It Down !!!, May 26, 2010

By 

William Morris (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cars from a Marriage (Hardcover)

After the first chapter of Cars From a Marriage I thought I was reading a memoir. The story reads so easily and the feelings are so real that I forgot it was fiction and thought I was reading Debbie's story. I grew up in Montclair, NJ and especially enjoyed the tidbits about the colonial on Hawthorne Avenue, running to Krauser's and getting high in the dank basements while house hunting. The funny thing is, I now live in Virginia and could also relate to Ivy's hometown, Charlottesville and her southern upbringing - although Ivy is anything but your typical southern belle. I absolutely loved this story. Debbie alternates chapters between the voices of Ellis and Ivy (husband and wife). Each relating their point of view as Debbie takes us through their ups and downs, their successes and failures, their joys and their fears, their fantasies and their sins. Any couple who has been married for more than a couple years will certainly relate to their tale with much laughter and perhaps a twinge of guilt. I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend Cars From a Marriage to all my friends.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marriage: Joy Ride or Not?, May 20, 2010

By 

Jill Johnson (Westport, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cars from a Marriage (Hardcover)

A chapter into Debra Galant's "Cars From a Marriage," I had the urge to jump on my laptop and begin a story of my own. This is a writer's impulse when reading something good, something GREAT--we want to emulate the craftsmanship of the author, see if we can create the same magic with words. I didn't abandon the book to start typing because, by Chapter 2, I was too caught up in the story to put it down (not to mention, those nagging doubts about coming up with even a sentence as lively as one of Galant's, never mind a scene).

"Cars From a Marriage" tracks the relationship of Ivy, a Southern belle turned single New Yorker quickly turned New Jersey stay-at-home mom, and Ellis, a stand-up comedian turned husband and PR exec, via the cars they drive. From Ford Mustang and falling in love to Buick Century Wagon and suburban doldrums/parenting overload, from Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon and a family funeral to Audi Cabriolet Convertible and infidelity--Galant draws us into Ivy and Ellis's cars, into their minds, into their world, with these two main characters narrating every other chapter in distinct voices--voices that are so believable, they seem to inhabit the room with you as you read. Their views on driving--both funny and serious--mirror the way they navigate life, and the clash in styles has bigger repercussions than highway spats (though there are a few doozies in that department). "Cars From a Marriage" turns the high beams on the dynamics of driving and marriage and proves an illuminating, inspiring, amusing, and thought-provoking read.
--Jill Johnson, Freelance Writer, [...].

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Celebrates our collective journey -- on road and off, May 12, 2010

By 

Erika A. Bleiberg "avid reader" (Essex County, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cars from a Marriage (Hardcover)

I just finished "Cars from a Marriage" in the wee hours of this rainy morning. It has kept me company this past week, as I neglected the chores of daily life to spend time instead in the marriage of Ivy and Ellis (who might live down the street from me in suburban NJ). Debra Galant has captured something very real, and infused her characters with authentic personalities, habits, fantasies and flaws. Parts of the story made me sad for our imperfect marriages, however the big picture made me celebrate our collective journey -- on the road and off. Kudos on a story well told and thanks to the author for the great read.