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Ladder of Years
Ladder of Years
Author: Anne Tyler
Celia Grinstead, 40-year-old mother of three almost-grown children, on a sudden impulse, walks away from her marriage, hitches a ride into the unknown, and settles in a strange new town. But soon after she begins her impersonal, unencumbered new life, fresh responsibilities inevitably accumulate.
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ISBN-13: 9780679441557
ISBN-10: 0679441557
Publication Date: 4/11/1995
Pages: 325
Rating:
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 51

3.5 stars, based on 51 ratings
Publisher: Knopf
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed Ladder of Years on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
A woman leaves he family on a spur of the moment decision, with very little money, and wearing only a bathing suit. A thoughtful book about a subject that every mother probably ponders at some point in life.
mwharton56 avatar reviewed Ladder of Years on
Helpful Score: 3
While I am a fan of Anne Tyler, I didn't care too much for the ending of this book. It did, however leave you wanting more.
katzpawz avatar reviewed Ladder of Years on + 281 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This is a "coming of age" of a woman who nearly waited too long. How a woman seeks and finds her own worth is a marvel of terrific writing. This IS NOT a "chick book". It is for anyone, anywhere who has ever asked themselves very hard questions - with no idea how to answer them.
reviewed Ladder of Years on + 131 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Have you ever wanted to walk away from your present life and start fresh somewhere else? This book fulfills those fantasies.
reviewed Ladder of Years on + 166 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I never miss an Anne Tyler book. Published in 1995, this is the story of a wife and mother of three almost-grown children who on a sudden impulse walks away from a family vacation and the sense of being expendable that it has engendered. She finds a small town that attracts her, rents a room, and settles in to see what she can make happen next. An intriguing look into what might have happened if we'd ever had the nerve to do it...
Read All 52 Book Reviews of "Ladder of Years"

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reviewed Ladder of Years on + 38 more book reviews
Again, great character development. Loved it.
reviewed Ladder of Years on + 5 more book reviews
Wonderfully staisfying like all Anne Tyler's books.
reviewed Ladder of Years on + 48 more book reviews
Very interesting book.
eadieburke avatar reviewed Ladder of Years on + 1534 more book reviews
Delia Grinstead, 40-year-old mother of three almost-grown children, on a sudden impulse, walks away from her marriage, hitches a ride into the unknown, and settles in a strange new town. But soon after she begins her impersonal, unencumbered new life, fresh responsibilities inevitably accumulate.
This is a story about the 90's but feels more like the 50's. It has themes of abandonment, identity and a second chance for love. Has bits of humor but depressing in parts. Tyler's books are enjoyable. I think I will read Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant next. Read this and find out how Delia seems to have found a new and exciting life.
reviewed Ladder of Years on + 3 more book reviews
Detailed, inner thoughts of all characters well developed plot. I devoured this book which ended with an uplifting conclusion. This is the third book by this author intend to read more of her books.
emeraldfire avatar reviewed Ladder of Years on
"Baltimore Woman Disappears During Family Vacation" declares the newspaper headline. Forty-year-old Cordelia Grinstead is last seen strolling along a Delaware beach, wearing nothing more than a bathing suit and carrying a beach tote with five hundred dollars tucked inside. To her husband, Sam and three almost-grown children, she has vanished without trace or reason. However, for Delia, who feels like a tiny gnat buzzing around the edge of her own family, "walking away from it all" is not a premeditated act but an impulse that will lead her into a new, exciting and unencumbered life.

In a nearby town, Delia reinvents herself - getting her first job, finding her first place, and buying her first business suit. She becomes a serious and independent-minded woman with no ties. However, soon after Delia begins her exciting, unencumbered life, fresh responsibilities inevitably accumulate.

I really enjoyed this story. It drew me in completely and I was curious to see how the story would eventually turn out for all the characters. I give this book an A+! and look forward to reading more books by Anne Tyler.
reviewed Ladder of Years on
I've read Anne Tyler for years and loved her. I loved this book until the end, which I loathed. It didn't ring true to me. Alas.
reviewed Ladder of Years on
nice book no sex or murders- You can really see how she felt living but not really. Looking to read more of her stuff. I did not want it to end.
reviewed Ladder of Years on + 33 more book reviews
Anne Tyler is wonderful- this novel is full of her quirky characters and situations.
reviewed Ladder of Years on + 67 more book reviews
Baltimore woman disappears during family vacation-declares the headline. 40 year old Delia is last seen strolling down the Delaware shore, wearing nothing more than a bathing suit and carrying a beach tote with five hundred dollars tucked inside. To her husband and three almost-grown children, she has vanished without trace or reason. But for Delia, who feels like a tiny gnat buzzing around her family's edges, walking away from it all is not a premeditated act but an impulse that will lead her into a new, exciting, and unimagined life.....


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