We recently had the chance to be reminded of an author whose work we really love--Amy Koppelman. It, of course, came through another author friend, and an interview, and her name came to mind. We had a nice email exchange with her last week and it led to wandering the EWN catacombs and tracking down the two full reviews and one mini-review we did of her trio of novels to date, as well as an old interview, from after her first book. Since then she's published the two other books and made a movie of her second novel. Hopefully some of the following will have you considering tracking down and reading her work.
A Mouthful of Air Reviewed 2/7/04
It is difficult to believe that A Mouthful of Air is a debut novel. Amy Koppelman has written on a difficult topic (postpartum depression) and done so on her own terms successfully. Her writing is spare, no excess can be found at all, and her protagonist, Julie, is not the easiest person to like.
When the book begins, Julie is trying hard just to seem normal, both to herself and others around her. She is just a few weeks beyond her attempt, and about to celebrate the first birthday of her first child, Teddy. Her attempt at suicide that is.
The main story that is being told is that of Julie, and how postpartum depression can affect the lives of individuals suffering from it, and their loved ones. The only glitch in the novel at all is that she blurs in some other forms of guilt into Julie’s life, creating the possibility of confusion in a reader who has not known somebody with postpartum depression.
Julie is put in seemingly normal situations, and Koppelman allows the reader to get into her mind and see what postpartum depression lets in during these times. Simply eating a bit of cake at Teddy’s birthday, or sitting through a New York Knicks basketball game with her husband, Ethan, and two of their closest friends become trying events that Julie suffers through, worrying the whole time what she looks like, and what people are thinking of her.
The thing that Koppelman really nails is the understanding that Julie has of her own problem. She knows when she’s fooling herself and others, as well as when she’s down so far she can’t fool a soul. When she finds out that she is pregnant for a second time, she sits down with Ethan and her psychiatrist, Dr. Edelman. They determine that Julie can certainly have another child, but she must be put back on her medication as soon as the baby is born.
This however would mean that Julie would be unable to, in her mind, be a full mother and breastfeed her baby. The fact that Julie is off of her medicine during the pregnancy, and then continues staying off (to the knowledge of nobody but herself) afterwards, allows the reader to witness the slow spiraling descent that Julie travels. It is disturbing, but done in such an enthralling manner that you can’t stop reading, even as you begin to realize where the book is headed.
This is a book that should be given to every pregnant mother. Even with some of the tragedies of the past few years, postpartum depression is still not a topic often discussed by OB/GYN’s with their patients. This often leads to both a lack of understanding, and a feeling of shame, when it does exist. Koppelman’s book clearly describes the feelings, methods of dealing with, and possible consequences of ignoring postpartum depression. It can only help an impending mother to read this book.
4 stars
I Smile Back – Mini-Review 12/31/08
I Smile Back by Amy Koppelman
2008 Two Dollar Radio 185 pages
Review copy supplied by Two Dollar Radio at BEA
Having loved Amy Koppelman's debut, A Mouthful of Air, a few years back, I'd been looking forward to this novel. Though I must admit, looking forward might be a bit of a stretch when it comes to Amy's work. She's a fearless writer, willing to take on topics that will make her readers at least a tad uncomfortable. Her debut's protagonist was a mother suffering from post-partum depression. This time around she gives us Laney Brooks, truly a difficult woman to care about from beginning all the way to the end. She's suffering but isn't completely willing to admit this to herself. She's constantly worried about her appearance, about what others are thinking about her, and most of all, how she is fucking up the future lives of her children. While it's hard to like and/or root for Laney, Koppelman makes it all but impossible to not pay attention to her. She's given us a perfect mix of the seemingly fully in control exterior and completely messed up interior, with perhaps the only mis-step being a reliance on giving Laney a semblance of a reason for her actions - the bailing out on her own family by her father when she was growing up. It's not introduced right away, and by the time it is, I'd already been convinced of Laney's issues, and didn't need a hardline reason for her actions. That said, her actions, drugs, sleeping around, coming and going as she pleases, horrible comments about her husband in front of his work associates or clients, are where Koppelman's writing shines. The internal conflict Laney goes through while acting in this manner is written perfectly. Koppelman seems to be content to challenge her readers, and those that are up for the ride will be treated very well.
4.5 stars
Hesitation Wounds – Reviewed 4/15/16
Book Review 2016-006
Hesitation Wounds by Amy Koppelman
2015 by The Overlook Press, 187 pages
(I purchased a copy of this hardcover when it came out late in the fall)
(There are a plot spoiler or two in this review--couldn't really figure out how to keep them out)
Amy Koppelman might be the bravest writer I know. She writes of difficult subjects--specifically various forms of depression--and does not shy away from any aspects of the disease. Her debut, A Mouthful of Air (MacAdam/Cage, 2003) told the story of a new mother suffering from postpartum depression. Her follow-up, I Smile Back (Two Dollar Radio, 2008), followed a married mother as she tried to work through her bi-polar depression through searching for wider ranges of high excitement. In each of these cases, Koppelman chose to allow the reader to feel as close to what it feels like to have either of these forms of depression by digging deeply into their minds. Not simply implying or stating that they were feeling dark, but expressing exactly what they were feeling and how their actions might help or hinder any development toward their improvement.
In Hesitation Wounds, while still dealing with the subject of depression, Koppelman has switched points of view and has as her main character Susanna Seliger, a renowned psychiatrist working with patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression. Koppelman gives us the thoughts from one who helps battle depression for others, and not one battling herself. And while depression, specifically of two individuals, plays a prominent role in this novel, Koppelman has really tackled grief and memory in Hesitation Wounds.
The novel begins with Dr. Seliger in an airport--she's recently received a phone call from an adoption agency suggesting they believe they've found her a daughter. Without much warning the narrative goes into her remembering a patient, Jim, telling her a story. It's something Koppelman does very well in this novel--she changes time frames and what one might refer to as scenes freely and while the time span covers some nearly 30 years, the novel is mainly written in the present tense. However, Koppelman's writing is so crystal clear, it never takes more than a sentence or so for the reader to realize that a switch has been made.
The patient, Jim, is undergoing ETC (electroconvulsive therapy) as what one would have to consider a last ditch effort to battle the voices that have been in and out of his head for years. At this time he's in for his last treatment. He's middle-aged, married, has a couple of dogs, and is a freelance writer. As this afternoon comes to an end, Jim is headed off with his wife and Dr. Seliger runs slightly late to meet Evan for dinner at an Italian restaurant. I don't remember it being clear at the moment of this meal, but it comes out later that the two are in a long-standing relationship but not married. During the meal, right after Susa (her childhood nickname) tells Evan that she loves him, he lets her know that he impregnated a waitress on his last trip out of town. Which leads to their relationship ending and throughout the rest of the novel has Dr. Seliger remembering incidents from this and other relationships.
Getting back to grief and memory--Jim ends up succumbing to the voices and hangs himself. Something about his death really brings to the forefront Susa's memories of her brother Dan, dead now some 28 years. While Dan didn't necessarily commit suicide, Susa's memories have her convinced that he was suffering from depression, was offering her clues, and that her hesitation to act upon them allowed him to not prevent himself from dying in a fire. While he may not have planned out a suicide, from his best friend's (Ray) description of the event, Dan didn't do very much to stop it from happening once he realized what was going on--in fact a little grin crossed his face upon that realization. And Susa has been suffering from his loss ever since.
The novel spends time in the 80's, back before Dan died, times when he and Susa and Ray (and at times 2 or 3 others were mentioned but not strongly) spent time getting high, talking about the two boys going out tagging--this in NYC when it wasn't shiny like it is now. It spends more closer to current time with Evan and Dr. Seliger. There's time not so long after Dan dies that Susa and Ray have a long relationship, moving in together. It also leaps to what would seemingly be the future considering the starting point of the novel, a time where Dr. Seliger has adopted a nearly five year old Cambodian named Mai. Much of it is in the form of Susa talking to her deceased brother, and, in this way, it feels as if she's speaking directly to the reader.
Throughout each different time period (beyond that when Dan is still alive), Susa constantly grieves for Dan. The levels vary, and the things that trigger her grief aren't consistent. What also varies, albeit slightly, is how Susa remembers things. She seems to be letting her memories convince herself that Dan was trying to signal to her that he was suffering, that he was going to do something about it, and that she could have done something to stop from happening what eventually did. Especially after her patient Jim's final actions.
If instead of calling you crazy I said I was willing to go with you, would you have waited for me? Could I have saved you? Could I have?
At one point she even wonders if she continues to think about the past will she be able to keep track of what is memory and what is real.
Koppelman's writing also needs mentioning here. To call it spare is not an overstatement. In the sections that are not dialogue, one imagines that Koppelman must have done a lot of deleting during revisions until she found just the right words, just the right number of syllables, just the right structure:
I can feel the pages of the book against my thumb. A paperback. The edges worn. Dog-eared.
The above is a typical paragraph. No lengthy, descriptive, sentences. Information chopped up and offered piecemeal. Between that and the time jumps but keeping everything in the present tense, the book really flies by. I read it in two sittings and if I didn't have to stop in between I wouldn't have. People frequently tell each other to work through their grief--it will get better. What Koppelman shows through Dr. Seliger is that it might not necessarily really get better, but when you can find other things to keep your thoughts busy, that grief isn't the main focus of your attention. While the topic isn't the brightest, the writing and structure are so fantastic that it's truly a great read.
5 stars
Interview with Amy Koppelman from early 2004
The following is an interview with Amy Koppelman, author of the novel, A Mouthful of Air. She received her MFA from Columbia University and lives in New York City with her husband and children.
Dan:
Thank you Amy for taking some time from your day to respond to some questions.
Amy:
Thank you for giving me the opportunity.
Dan:
Who did you study under at Columbia, and what did the process of obtaining an MFA do for you in terms of your writing?
Amy:
It took me a few tries before I got into Columbia. During that time I took classes with Michael Cunningham in Columbia's general studies program. He was the best teacher any young writer could ask for---somehow he was able to teach-to help me refine my writing-to give me real criticism without destroying the little confidence I had.
Later, in the program, I took classes with Maureen Howard. What a special lady. She gave me Edith Wharton.
Dan:
You live in New York City, and besides having the bulk of the publishing industry set there (though not M/C interestingly enough), there also seems to be a great network of fairly young writers going on. I know I read about both your work and Beth Ann Bauman’s at Felicia Sullivan’s site. Her online literary journal, Small Spiral Notebook has also reviewed works like yours, and Krista McGruder’s short story collection. There are also the women doing One Story Magazine, Maribeth Batcha and Hannah Tinti. Do you all actually know each other, or am I just reading into a bunch of coincidences?
Amy:
I think there is a network of writers working together, trying to help each other. I wasn't part of it until a few weeks ago when Felicia wrote to me. From her came you and now Beth. It's nice.
Dan:
Your novel, A Mouthful of Air, tells the story of Julie Davis, a young mother who seemingly has it all, a loving husband who has a job that enables them to live comfortably in the city, with her not needing to work, and a maid/nanny. However, Julie suffered from Postpartum Depression. I understand that you also suffered from this disease. Let’s start by clearing up the probable often asked question; this is not an autobiography disguised as fiction is it?
Amy:
I try to be as honest a writer as I can be and to that end certain feelings in the novel are true, the endless self-doubt, the fear, the lack of trust... I think I was trying to write through my fears-what if I didn't get the help I needed. What if I didn't make the choices I made.
Dan:
The book’s epitaph is the poem, The Girl, by Marie Howe. What about that particular poem resonated with you, especially in terms of your novel?
Amy:
Marie. How can I explain her poetry. She is the standard, the most brave, the most honest writer I have ever read.
"...And even if I could go back in time to her as me, the
age I am now
she would never come into my arms
without believing that I wanted something."
I remember reading that and understanding so much about myself from that poem. I didn't believe that there were people out there able to love without taking. Men come, take, and leave. That's all I saw of the world.
It took me years and years to accept that my husband really loved me. I used to imagine him waking up one morning, rolling over and going. "My gosh. This is a mistake."
When I read that poem I knew that while I was, in many ways, the girl in the poem, I also knew that to have any meaning in my life I had to change that somehow. I didn't want to be that person. I wanted to be strong enough, somehow, to continue. To trust, to believe.
Dan:
Your prose can be described as spare. You don’t go out of your way to embellish anything in an unnecessary fashion. Has this always been your writing style, or did you choose to go this route for this particular story?
Amy:
My husband says that I won't be happy until I have a blank sheet with a period in the middle of it.
Dan:
In the novel, Julie is diagnosed with PPD after the birth of her first child. She ends up getting
pregnant a second time, creating most of the discussions about PPD in the book. You used Julie’s own thoughts, as well as conversations with her husband, Ethan, and her psychiatrist, Dr. Edelman, to explain PPD. Which route do you think ended up being most effective?
Amy:
It took me six years to write the novel and during that time I played around with all different points of view. When I wrote from the other points of view Julie was a much more likeable protagonist. But I wanted the book to feel like depression-and depression is a very insular disease. A depressed person is deaf to any voice other than the one they hear in their head.
Dan:
My wife suffered from PPD too. It seems to me that as difficult as it is to get prospective and current mothers to understand the disease, it is just as important to get their male counterparts to understand PPD as well. Was this a goal of yours, or do you believe your novel is geared more towards that mother who will potentially suffer?
Amy:
It's funny. Early on, I reached out to different people involved in the field of depression. I got 20 free books as part of my deal and I thought that at the very least, I could get a copy of the book to some doctors, nurses, people who understand the disease. Maybe they could use the book to help people.
So I get this email from this one psychiatrist who says thanks for sending, blah-blah-blah-and that while she thinks the book is accurate she would never give it to someone suffering from ppd. I wrote back explaining that the book is a cautionary tale. That Julie didn't make the right choices for herself and her family but the reader can.
A week or so goes by and I get another email from this doctor. In it she says that she had a patient in her office who needed to go on medication, she was there with her husband and mother, both resistant to the idea of medication, and she gave them my novel and said, "Read this."
That's all I wanted, to know that I was able to help some people through story.
Dan:
There is a sub-plot running through the novel regarding Julie and her parents, who are divorced, and the relationship she shares with them. The relationship with her father potentially clouds a bit of Julie’s PPD issues, as it seems like a possible cause of her troubled views of herself. Were you at all worried about readers, specifically those not overly familiar with various forms of depression, getting confused in this area?
Amy:
I didn't start out thinking I was writing a book about ppd. All I knew is that I wanted to write a book about shame, real or perceived shame, and how those feeling of shame regulate so much of what we allow for ourselves.
Dan:
Dr. Edelman really does not appear all that often throughout the novel. Is this because you were more intent on showing the signs and effects of PPD strictly through the patient’s eyes?
Amy:
I think so.
Dan:
In previous conversation, you have pointed me to a review at amazon.com that suggested the book carry a warning label in regards to shocking events that PPD can lead to. What was your reaction the first time you saw this?
Amy:
There are always people who don't understand.
Dan:
You have a great website (www.amykoppelman.com) with reviews of the book, details about the cover, information about yourself, and a specific resource page in regards to PPD. Have you received any responses to the book and website in cases where somebody thinks that you have helped them with their own situation?
Amy:
Yes, and that has been the most meaningful. It's why I wish I could get more press about the book. In the tradition of The Awakening and The Yellow Wallpaper, I tried to give voice to women without one.
Dan:
Can you explain what you have been doing in terms of making the book available for sale at PPD seminars and similar groupings?
Amy:
I've had the privilege of working with PSI and DAD and have seen the book really move people. I offer it at my cost to any organization that can benefit from it for fundraising.
Dan:
In terms of women diagnosed with PPD, is there any known testing that can be provided that would verify that they are taking the medication prescribed to them? I know it must be difficult, but there are women who have been able to act in a convincing manner to convince others that everything is running more smoothly, when in fact they are still suffering greatly.
Amy:
Yes. There are screening tools and many organizations with help lines.
Dan:
How exactly did your work come to be published by MacAdam/Cage? What benefits do you see in being published by an outfit that is not based in New York, but is not really looked at as a small press?
Amy:
I came to M/C from my agent Amy Rennert. I got to her by query letter.
I couldn't have asked for more in an editor. Pat Walsh is kind, nurturing and smart as a whip. Most importantly, he not only believed in me but was and remains a ferocious and faithful supporter.
Dan:
Have you done many readings? If so, do you enjoy doing them?
Amy:
I've done a few readings and while they are not the easiest thing for me, being that I'm pretty shy, they are really wonderful. I wish I could do more readings. Meet more people. Hear their stories.
Dan:
Did MacAdam/Cage allow you to choose your own cover, which is an interesting painting by Kathryn Lynch? Where did you come across the work and how did you feel is worked with the story you have told?
Amy:
Kathryn is one of my closest friends. She's an amazing artist and it was part of my dream-if I ever got this story, Julie's story published, I wanted Katheryn's painting to be on the cover. This painting is from a series called "the blizzard Elizabeth came home in." Elizabeth is her daughter.
Naturally, as most people do with art, I project my own feelings onto the painting. For me, the white, the fogginess, the distant city really looks like what depression feels like. At least to me it does.
Dan:
You are currently looking at putting together an anthology of short stories regarding waiting rooms. Would you care to elaborate on that?
Amy:
I don't know what it is, but I can't stop thinking about the dynamic of visiting. How one person is going to leave and the other will stay. How there is a time limit on it. I don't know what it is yet that plagues me about this situation. Is it the conflict, the unfairness? Hopefully, through doing this anthology I'll figure it out.
Dan:
Lastly, if you were a character in “Fahrenheit 451,” what work(s) would you memorize for posterity?
Amy:
My gosh...I haven't read "Farenheit 451" but I think I know what you are getting at. What would I memorize? I love Bowles and Tolsoy-Nabakov. But if I were to memorize something - Franny and Zooey. Salinger. Hard for me to get past the Glass family.
Dan:
Thanks again Amy for taking time out of your schedule to answer some questions.
Amy:
Thank you. Really. Thank you very much, Dan.
Recent Comments