Let's Take the Long Way Home
Encyclopedia
Let's Take the Long Way Home: a memoir of friendship is a memoir
by Gail Caldwell
(1951–). The memoir describes the friendship between the author and fellow writer and dog lover Caroline Knapp
who died at age 42 in 2002 and it takes place in Cambridge, Massachusetts
. Let's Take the Long Way Home was published in 2010. The title refers to their habit of taking the long way home so that they could continue their conversations.
, O: The Oprah Magazine , and many others. Time Magazine states that it is "[h]eartbreaking but never maudlin" and "a testament to the power and beauty of mature friendship." Gail Caldwell won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
in 2001 for her writing at the Boston Globe.
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
by Gail Caldwell
Gail Caldwell
Gail Caldwell was the chief book critic for The Boston Globe, where she was on staff from 1985 to 2009. Caldwell was the winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. The award was for eight Sunday reviews and two other columns written in 2000...
(1951–). The memoir describes the friendship between the author and fellow writer and dog lover Caroline Knapp
Caroline Knapp
Caroline Knapp was an American writer and columnist whose candid best-selling memoir Drinking: A Love Story recounted her 20-year battle with alcoholism. She was the daughter of noted psychiatrist Peter H. Knapp, who did groundbreaking research into psychosomatic medicine.Knapp grew up in...
who died at age 42 in 2002 and it takes place in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. Let's Take the Long Way Home was published in 2010. The title refers to their habit of taking the long way home so that they could continue their conversations.
Plot summary
The book opens "It's an old, old story: I had a friend and we shared everything, and then she died and so we shared that too.” The connection between these women was charged from the beginning. They were introduced by a dog walker who recognized their many similarities and they began "walking their puppies" together in the woods. Caldwell describes these walks in the park as "highly erotic." "Apart, we had each been frightened drunks and single women and dog lovers; together, we became a small corporation. Finding Caroline was like placing a personal ad for an imaginary friend, then having her show up at your door funnier and better than you could have conceived." The growth of their friendship, the strength of their bond, the tragedy of Caroline's short fight against lung cancer and the grief beyond are all lovingly detailed.Awards and recognition
Let's Take the Long Way Home: a memoir of friendship won the New England Book Award in 2010. It was named one of the top ten non-fiction books of 2010 by Time Magazine , The Washington PostThe Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, O: The Oprah Magazine , and many others. Time Magazine states that it is "[h]eartbreaking but never maudlin" and "a testament to the power and beauty of mature friendship." Gail Caldwell won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
The Pulitzer Prize for Criticism has been presented since 1970 to a newspaper writer who has demonstrated 'distinguished criticism'. Recipients of the award are chosen by an independent board and officially administered by Columbia University...
in 2001 for her writing at the Boston Globe.
Reviews
- 'Soul Deep' by Julie Myerson The New York Times Sunday Book Review August 20, 2010
- Gail Caldwell memoir, 'Let's Take the Long Way Home,' reviewed by Heller McAlpin in The Washington Post.
- "Let's Take the Long Way Home" by Laura Miller, Salon.com August 1, 2010