Ira Wood

What happens when black families move into white neighborhoods? This play examines the lives around one such incidence, this one set in Boston in the 1970s, shortly after busing brought desegregation. The white families in the neighborhood believe the area belongs to them, and that the black families are ruining all lives there. Mob violence is set off by a couple of young punks being used by a race-baiting politician. One of the strongest features of this work is that the people are real. They are not upper class people upset when "the other" moves into their neighborhood. They are working class, many of them out of work or underemployed, scared about the future, looking for a scapegoat. The fear of losing what little they have drives them to lash out at a visible manifestation of change. The tension builds throughout the work to the final confrontation, and the authors manage to keep hold of the tension and build it appropriately to a climax. Well written, easy to read, and thought provoking.… (mehr)

Ira Wood is the first to admit that in the literary world very few people know who he is, that he is at best a "mid-list" writer. So I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be offended if I admit the only reason I read this book is because I learned he is married to writer Marge Piercy, whose name is a bit more easily recognized. (I made this connection while reading Piercy's fascinating literary memoir, SLEEPING WITH CATS.) In fact Wood's semi-autobiographical collection of essays acknowledges this in its very title: YOU'RE MARRIED TO HER?

The truth is I figured this would be a straight memoir, and I might learn a little more about Piercy, whose work I have always admired. Well, it's not a memoir, although Piercy figures into many of these pieces. But I didn't care, because it turns out that Ira Wood is one of the funniest writers I have read in many years. I often found myself chuckling, chortling, laughing or even spit-spraying guffawing as I read these stories of his oversexed Portnoy-ish adolescence and struggling days as a would-be-writer-slash-waiter, and of how he met and courted Piercy (who is fourteen years older - and was married at the time). Well, maybe 'courted' is too polite or 'courtly' a term for what went on between them while Piercy was still part of an odd 'open' marriage. Likewise his years as an "artist-in-residence" and his sally into local politics on Cape Cod (where Wood and Piercy have lived for decades), and his time as a small press publisher. Perhaps the only piece here that is not unreservedly hilarious is the one about his cocaine addiction (thankfully overcome many years ago). Bottom line here though: this guy is an extremely funny man. And probably the reason his stories ARE so funny is that most of the humor is at his own expense. You just have to like this guy. Another reviewer compared Wood to David Sedaris and Dave Barry. Nope. Ira Wood is much funnier.

One more thing that occurred to me as I finished reading Wood's book. I don't think I ever laughed much, if at all, when I was reading Marge Piercy's books, and I've read several. Nope. Piercy is usually pretty much dead serious. Just sayin'. What an interesting pair of opposites this longtime marriage must be.

You wanna laugh? You like ribald humor? You like to read about the funny side of sex? Then read this book. Ira wood is an extremely talented writer who has been working at his craft for a long time. I loved this book. HIGHLY recommended.… (mehr)

The blurb on the back of the book says "What woman wouldn't want a man like Gabe Rose?" I'll have to chime in and say "this one." Gabe chases the woman of his dreams, yet when he finally gets her in bed he's impotent because she's older (42 or 43 to his 30) and fleshy, and he's been conditioned by society only to become aroused by tight thin young women. In the spirit of honesty he tells her this and can't see why she gets so upset. There too much drama, too much self analysis, and too much jealousy in this relationship for me to want any part of it. When Wood writes about food and restaurants he's very witty, but the relationships left me cold.… (mehr)