A TIME TO MARRY

by David Delman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 27, 1960

David Delman's first book, The Hard Sell, was a trite business novel which dealt, superficially, with the relationship between two brothers. His second novel also deals with a modern, ordinary situation but it is more ambitious and better worked out. This, however, is not to say a great deal. Edie Barlow, 28, feels she's on the brink of spinsterhood, wants desperately to get married. She can have Barney Weaver, a nice young man, solid citizen, with a good future but she doesn't want him. Instead, she's in love with Ray Fuller, 35, a pediatrician. But Ray's life is inextricably tied up with his neurotically possessive older sister Elaine -- who needs him. The dilemma: shall Edie choose a secure but uninspiring life with the sturdy Barney or will she stand by and wait until Fuller can disentangle himself from his sister's apron strings? In the end it is the reliable Barney himself who forces the issue, shocks Fuller into the realization that he loves Edie. And even Elaine is made to see the inevitable. There's a good deal of everyday detail here -- the bitter meetings between Edie and her still-unmarried girlfriends; their dull, depressing dates; the silent reproaches of their parents, etc., etc. -- which presumably authenticates situations already sufficiently overworked. But, more basically, the main characters are themselves so uninteresting (and Edie is particularly obnoxious) that reader attention is held to a minimum.

Pub Date: Jan. 27, 1960

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1960

Categories: FICTION