A copy of Lillian Boxfish Takes A Walk by Kathleen Rooney sat on my TBR shelf for years. Recently I realized the entire story takes place on New Year's Eve so when the audiobook became available to me in late December, the timing was perfect.
I loved the narration by XE Sands so much, I listened with headphones so Lillian's stories went directly into my ears just as if I was walking next to her as she shared her stories.
This is a character-driven novel focused on one woman. Lillian Boxfish led a very interesting life in her 80+ years as a woman, wife, mother, NYC resident, published poet, and the one-time highest paid female advertising professional, devoting to majority of her career to W. H. Macy's.
On New Year's Eve 1984, Lillian leaves her Manhattan apartment and walks throughout her beloved city to dine at a favorite restaurant and attend a friend's party. Along the way, she encounters a variety of people, places, and circumstances. This prompts her to reminisce about the highs and lows of her personal and professional life, lamenting the ways the city and its residents have changed over the decades.
I respected the way Lillian didn't judge the people she met on her NYE walk but regarded them in the straightforward way she wanted to be treated, even as a woman of a certain age. With her sharp wit and fierce independence, she's someone I'd enjoy knowing in real life.
The character of Lillian Boxfish was inspired by the life of Margaret Fishback, poet and advertising copywriter. The audiobook includes an interview between Kathleen Rooney and XE Sands in which Rooney shares how she came to know about Ms. Fishback and had full access to her books, letters, and other archival documents.
