Serendipity: A Novel [Paperback]

Louise Shaffer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 2009

Louise Shaffer brings to life three generations of Italian American women in this stunning novel of surprises, secrets, and serendipity.

A child of theatrical royalty, Carrie Manning is having a hard time getting her own act together. Thirty-seven, aimless, and having just buried a famous mother she never understood, she is desperate to uncover her family’s mysterious past in the hopes that it will help her understand herself.

Carrie’s search reveals the fascinating life stories of her estranged grandmother Lu, a glamorous Broadway star whose dreams came with a price; her great grandmother Mifalda, who gave up everything to come to America as a sixteen-year-old Italian bride; and her father, Bobby, the charismatic Broadway genius who wrote some of Lu’s greatest musicals and died tragically young. At the heart of Carrie’s discoveries lies the reason for her mother’s complicated life, and a dark secret that has been buried for thirty years.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Shaffer's ho-hum latest (after Family Acts) chronicles a neurotic New Yorker's quest to learn more about her recently deceased and famous mother. Carrie Manning, the daughter of philanthropist Rose and legendary playwright Bobby Manning, uncovers some secrets about mother while cleaning out her apartment. Reluctant to contact her estranged grandmother, celebrated stage actress Lu Lawson, Carrie talks to her great-uncle Paulie, who relays the story of Carrie's great-grandmother Mifalda, an illegitimate child raised by nuns. Fearing her bad blood corrupted Lu, Mifalda does her best to prevent Lu from becoming a singer, but when Lu eventually has a baby out of wedlock, Mifalda raises the child as Lu pursues her Broadway career. While Shaffer conveys how Rose's constant criticism plunged Carrie into an unhappy life, Carrie comes off as ditzy and simple, and Bobby and Rose feel stock. Often heavy-handed and prone to stating the obvious (The thing about smiling and pretending—and tongue biting—year after year is that eventually it takes its toll), Shaffer gets in the way of a promising premise. (Apr.)
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Review

“Shaffer . . . unfolds the story of Carrie’s family, from her Italian great grandmother’s sacrifices to her mother’s complicated past, with such ease it is as though one is having an engaging conversation with the characters. All the female characters . . . are refreshingly multidimensional and come wonderfully to life. Highly recommended.”—Library Journal, starred review

"This was an amazing story of mothers and daughters and how each generations relationships can affect the next. A story of a woman finally finding her place in the world, and finding the happiness she so richly deserves. This is a book that you don't want to miss ~ but make sure you keep the tissues close by. You're going to need them."—Lori's Reading Corner

“[Shaffer] delivers every time with delightful, charming stories . . . guaranteed to keep you turning the pages.”—Kingston Observer Online

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 341 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; Original edition (March 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345502094
• ISBN-13: 978-0345502094
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,039,419 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Louise is a believer in there's always a second chance. An actress since she was fifteen, she found herself unemployed when she was in her mid-forties. The reason was; well, she was in her mid-forties. Not a good thing if you' an actress - aging and eating are taboo. Louise has done both. Also, she was pretty clear about the fact that she was never going to have "knee surgery." That's what happens when an actress of a certain age drops out of sight for six weeks and her publicist announces that she's having an old knee injury repaired. Then the actress emerges with her eyebrows hiked up kind of high on her forehead and all those nasty little lines around her mouth seem to have vanished, and oh yeah, and her knee is working fine too.

The un-surgically enhanced Louise spent two years auditioning for commercials touting high fiber cereals and denture glue, she figured there had to be something better, and she decided to try writing scripts for soap operas. Writing had actually been her first love when she was a kid. She worked as a soap writer off and off; mostly off for the next few years. The trouble was, she got fired a lot. Because what she wanted to do was tell her own stories. Finally she fought off the devil voices; those voices inside your head that tell you you're an idiot for dumping a paying job to follow a dream, and wrote The Three Miss Margarets. It found a home at Random House and was published. It was followed by The Ladies of Garrison Gardens, Family Acts, and Serendipity.

Louise's latest novel, Looking For A Love Story, is about a recently divorced novelist facing a tough bout of writer's block who takes a job ghostwriting someone elses story.

Today a very happy Louise lives in the lower Hudson Valley with her husband of twenty eight years, her eight cats and two rescue dogs ; the regal Joshua, and Charlie. Who is not regal. Just ask the neighbors.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charmed, I'm Sure, April 6, 2009

By 

A Reader in Boston "A Reader in Boston" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Serendipity: A Novel (Paperback)

When I first started reading "Serendipity," I was playing the roman a clef game, trying to figure out who all the characters were supposed to be. Which Broadway legend was Lu Lawson based on? And her philanthropist daughter Rose Manning ... what New York socialite inspired that character? Within a few chapters, I stopped trying to figure out the puzzle because by that point, I'd become completely charmed by the characters themselves. As a novelist, Louise Shaffer really does charm you. She charms you not just with characters but with her settings as well. "Serendipity" takes you all over New York City from the rough neighborhoods, where residents are advised to carry around money for muggers, to the Broadway stage, where we learn about superstitions like the gypsy robe. [Although primarily known as a soap opera actress, Shaffer has also acted on Broadway, which accounts for the book's insider feel.] Not only do you find yourself being guided all around New York City, but through time as well, living alongside four generations of fascinating women. Perhaps Shaffer charms us best with her writing style: Her pacing is swift enough to make the book a quick read but not so swift as to keep us from appreciating all those great little details she tosses in along the way.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing story of mothers and daughters., March 24, 2009

By 

L. Gondelman "Lori's Reading Corner" (Cambridge, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Serendipity: A Novel (Paperback)

Coming from "Broadway Royalty" Carrie struggles to find herself and her place in the world after the death of her mother. Her angst stems from the fact that while she lived with her mother most of her life, she never really "knew" her, what motivated her. After her death, Carrie decides it's time to figure out what led her mother to be the woman she was and what caused her mother Rose and Grandmother Lu to stop speaking to one another. Moving between the present tense and the early years of Lu's life (and her relationship with her own mother), Carrie begins to understand the women in her family and what made them into who they became. This was an amazing story of mothers and daughters and how each generations relationships can affect the next. A story of a woman finally finding her place in the world, and finding the happiness she so richly deserves. This is a book that you don't want to miss ~ but make sure you keep the tissues close by. You're going to need them. A++++++

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful reminder, June 26, 2010

By 

Jean Sheldon (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Serendipity: A Novel (Paperback)

In an age when entertainment streams steadily from television, movies, and videos, it is nice to be reminded of the utter joy that comes from reading a well written book. Serendipity proved a delightful reminder.