Word: ageing
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...pretense of keeping up appearances. But just like all those lost and mentally unstable Lowells and Winslows (the author's equally snobbish relatives on the paternal side), Cousin itself is never quite sure what it is. At times it is a barrage of various bildungsroman tales, the coming-of-age stories of various Lowell and Winslow family scions. At other times it is a relentless catalogue of family members moving in and out of prep schools, relationships, asylums and even the hallowed halls of Harvard itself...
What these not-so-subtle potshots at Harvardshow is that Cousin shines most and isultimately a completely satisfying read not as acoming-of-age story, a literary analysis or atravelogue, but as the hilarious personal memoirits madcap opening (in which Stuart races tofinish her application to Harvard the morning it'sdue) purports it to be. This opening also showshow her humor is mixed in with bittersweetrecollections of a life among unfounded arroganceand neurotic quirkiness: the problem Stuart facesin writing her essay--of defining herself based onher own merits and the merits of her first cousin(once removed) Robert Lowell-soon...
...account of his rowing career, which he extends into life lessons and insights. Lambert divides the book into three sections, loosely organized around his own personal experiences as a rower. He coxed for freshman crew at Harvard in 1965, then gave it up only to resume rowing at the age of 37, first in eight-mans, then single sculling. Lambert begins and ends the book by recounting particularly memorable times: rowing a double Head piece (a six-mile loop on the Charles) and competing in the Head of the Charles Regatta...
...abound in the New England states? While more dainty Harvardians might disdain a mass of blood-encrusted feathers on their Prada bird bag, there's nothing quite like the primal gratification of winning a hard-fought battle with a wily fox. And this fundamental desire explains why, in an age of manufactured food and General Wong's Chicken, people still return to the backcountry's ancient forests and pristine streams...
...handled a terrible illness with unbelievable courage and grace every day of his life," Goss said. "He was, in an age of few heroes; he was my hero...