The Lobotomist's Wife(83)
My amazing, levelheaded, supportive agent, Kathy Schneider at JRA, who saw something in this book and took a chance before the first draft was even done. You and Hannah Strouth have been such careful and thoughtful readers and unwavering advocates. And, damn, you write excellent promotional copy. Jodi Warshaw and the whole team at Lake Union, thanks for believing in a first-time novelist with a quirky story and working so hard to bring it out into the world. Tanya Farrell and the team at Wunderkind PR, thank you for shaping my “author brand” and doing your best to make sure anyone and everyone knew about this book.
Nicola Weir, you brought the critical eye that I needed to break open my manuscript and figure out how to properly weave the braid of Ruth, Robert, and Margaret into an actual novel. I am certain that The Lobotomist’s Wife would not exist without your help.
If this were the Oscars, they’d be playing the “get off the stage” music already. But I’m not done.
One of the unexpected “gifts with purchase” of becoming a novelist is the incredible community of women writers who have supported and welcomed me so warmly. Elise Hooper for my very first blurb, Rochelle Weinstein (my BFF before we have even met in person), Lea Geller and the whole Lake Union family for embracing me as one of your own, and especially Susie Orman Schnall—you named this book at our meet-cute, and you have been so full of support and advice all along the way; I don’t think I would have made it through this process without you.
To my besties who held me up and cheered me on: Carrie, Dom, Jessica, Karen, Liz, Melanie, Stephanie, and Shelby (my secret agent, publicist, and number one cheerleader). I feel blessed to have so many incredible women in my orbit.
To my family readers and supporters: Elaine, Patti, Doug, Julia, Amy, Joey, Kelly, Alana, and Mark. You asked great questions, devoured early drafts, and just made me feel good about what I was attempting to accomplish.
Dad and Steven, how did I get lucky enough to have both a dad and a stepdad who are excellent copyeditors? Thank you both for your careful critical reads and honest feedback. And, Dad, I forgive you for sharing the manuscript even when it was “top secret”—I know it just means you are proud of me, and that means the world.
Lila, my sweet, smart, and sassy tween, you have been so curious about my writing from the beginning. I’ll never forget listening to you at nine years old tell your friends, “My mom is writing a book about lobotomy.” And now it’s on your Goodreads list. Alex, my baby boy, thank you for being so excited about every step of my progress. The happy dance you did when I found out I was “going to be a published author!” will be one of the greatest memories of my life.
My mom, a true parent of the ’70s who read me Girls Can Do Anything at bedtime. You have always been my biggest supporter and sounding board. You jumped into the world of The Lobotomist’s Wife with two feet, and your thoughtful insights (and clinical expertise) made everything in it richer. Thank you for reminding me that writing this book was my job, even if I wasn’t getting paid for it, for being there to help in any way I needed, and, especially, for being such a terrific role model of independence and determination.
And finally, to my husband, Jack, who knew that writing this story would bring me immense joy, possibly before I did. Thank you for pushing me to prioritize my writing and supporting everything I needed to do to make that happen—even during a pandemic, with two school-aged kids at home. I love you.
BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS
The Lobotomist's Wife is inspired by the real story of a doctor whose passion turns to deadly obsession. Can you think of other similar moments in history when science and medicine have crossed the line of ethics and morality in the name of progress?
The novel explores how ego can distort best intentions into horrifying results, with broad-reaching consequences. Do you believe Robert did indeed have the best intentions? Can you pinpoint a scene or series of scenes in the book where his character began to deviate from the initial plan?
The book takes place between the 1930s and 1950s in New York at a time when the medical community endorsed lobotomy as a “miracle cure.” By the early 1940s, it was in broad use for extreme psychosis. How does the author convey mental health treatment in the era, and does it help explain why lobotomy was embraced by the medical community? Do you have a sense of whether the author remained true to the events and social structures of the time period?
Throughout the beginning of this novel, lobotomy is depicted as an innovative and revolutionary solution to what was believed to be insanity. Compare and contrast this depiction of lobotomy to other titles that also reference it, such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Is this a time period you knew a lot about before you read this book? If so, did you learn anything new? If not, did you come away with a greater understanding of what this particular time and place in history, especially for women, was actually like?
Ruth mourns her beloved brother, Harry, and his suicide played a significant role in her decision to devote her life to caring for the mentally ill. Do you think Ruth is trying to compensate for not being able to save her brother?
Ruth falls for the brash and innovative neurologist Robert and his perceived compassion for his patients. Is she too readily accepting of his self-proclaimed cure for insanity and radical new treatment?
How did the blended genre of historical fiction and suspense/thriller impact your reading experience? Did you have a sense of foreboding because of the knowledge we have today of the harmfulness of lobotomy?