It was Tony’s enthusiasm for it that encouraged me to read this book by an author I haven’t read in decades. And I’m so glad I did as it grew on me as I read. I kept wondering why I found such a low key book so engaging.
We learn at the outset the narrator is a prep school administrator with limited skill in social interactions, according to the headmistress. Gail works hard to do everything correctly, is very organized, and has restrained social interactions. It is the day before her 35-year-old daughter’s wedding and she was not involved in her daughter’s “Day of Beauty”arranged by the groom’s mother at a spa.
Max, her ex-husband, shows up and needs to stay with her during his visit because he brought a cat he was fostering and his daughter’s fiancee is allergic to cats. Gail and Max have a cordial relationship and are comfortable after many years of being divorced.
And so the three days unfold in detail with Gail picking up her dress from the cleaners, the rehearsal, the dinner, drama about whether the bride should call off the wedding, the daughter taking her father to buy a suit so he would be properly dressed, and a confession to her daughter that it was Gail’s indiscretion that caused the end of the marriage. The second day had a surprisingly interesting account of the wedding itself, then the reception. By that point I realized that I did like reading about these folks and cared what happened next. Gail’s detailed description of how her affair came to be did not disappoint. And there was a nice upbeat ending.
Anne Tyler’s books are set in Baltimore and it was pleasing to see the mention of local landmarks. Then there’s the reminder of what crab restaurants in Baltimore should be. The day after the wedding Gail invited Max to eat lunch at his family’s favorite restaurant, the Cultured Crab. This one features crabcakes with charred shishito pepper bits, crab parfait layered with wasabi-spiked crème fraîche, and crab salad with marcona almonds and a yuzu glaze. The menu made Gail cringe and Max always found it hilarious.
Anne Tyler, Three Days in June, Alfred A. Knopf, 2025, 165 pages (I read the kindle version). Available in the public library.