Tendler: "Men Have Called Her Crazy"

There is no law that says a memoir has to address every single part of your life in detail, but if you're married to a high-profile figure, and the marriage explodes in a public way, and you then publish a book that discusses everything *but* the explosion....that's at least mildly annoying.

That aside, Anna Marie Tendler is a natural writer; she knows how to mold characters, with words. Her best character is herself; having checked into an asylum, Tendler makes jokes. When a doctor asks her about her depressive periods, she says, "I've certainly had them--but maybe not the kind of *period* you're talking about...." (Rim shot here.)

Encouraged to discuss past therapeutic interventions and their levels of efficacy, Tendler says, "I guess I haven't seen success yet, because I weigh 80 pounds, and I want to die." (You can see this is a charming narrator.)

I'm also drawn to Tendler's mother, who is a costume designer and an oddball. Mama Tendler designs Anna's clothing, but she doesn't pay attention to trends, and the dramatic slit she adds to a prom dress might seem more appropriate for an adult night-club act. Mama is also vulnerable to rage, and to controlling behavior; she takes young Anna to two NYC callbacks, for a Broadway show, then becomes tired. "I'm going to spend today deciding if I really want to shuttle you to New York again and again. You'll get a message from your principal--and this will inform you whether or not I'm taking you to the third callback." (The final message: "There will be no trip to your third callback.")

A last memorable character is an AA speaker--who describes losing a spouse to fast-moving pancreatic cancer, then losing a child (right away) to addiction. Tendler braces herself to hear about a relapse--but, in fact, the speaker moves on. "I struggled, and stayed sober." This seems to be a turning point in the book.

Some people are just good company, on the page, and that's Tendler. I feel the absence of John Mulaney, but I like the book.

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