The Woman Who Wouldn't

by Gene Wilder

Book Overview

The beloved actor and screenwriter's second novel, set in 1903, stars a young concert violinist named Jeremy Webb, who one day goes from accomplished adagios with the Cleveland Orchestra to having a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312375786
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 167 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.1" x 0.8" x 5.7"

Customer Reviews

So so sweet

This is the sweetest book. A must read. An sweet romance from a man’s perspective.

Best if you're a Wilder fan.

I can't improve on most of the reviews, but, I can say I enjoyed the book immensely. Wilder writes in the rhythm of his familiar acting delivery. I read the book and visualized Wilder reading to me. His rhythm and whit and fantasticism (is that a word?) made the book a page turner for me. I enjoyed the simple short sentences pocked with foreign words, delicacy ingredients and other Wow!-I've-gotta'-pay-attention moments. Pure Wilder. I'm contemplating purchasing Gilda's Disease: Sharing Personal Experiences and a Medical Perspective on Ovarian Cancer. The lighter Wilder fictional books brought tears of both happiness and sadness. I can only imagine the tears shed if I read Gilda's Disease: Sharing Personal Experiences and a Medical Perspective on Ovarian Cancer.

Beautifully written story and very touching

This is a book I couldn't put down, and it kept my interest totally. The characters Jeremy and Clara, in the story, are the kind that you really care for, love, and want the best for. The characters and story are well developed and thought out. Mr. Wilder is a great writer, and I really look forward to reading any future books of his. I would recommend "The Woman Who Wouldn't " to anyone that loves a good romance, or a story that is very moving and inspirational. It's definitly a book I'll be reading again.

Gene Wilder fiction

Gene Wilder has a way or writing that is easy on the eyes. His characters seem real and affectionate yet flawed. Nice short story.

Getting to the Heart of Things

THE WOMAN WHO WOULDN'T is the true reading "find" for this Spring.... a heartfelt, deeply moving love story with characters you will take to your own heart and cherish. I LOVED IT. After suffering a very public-- and humilatng-- breakdown during a performance, young concert violinist Jeremy Webb is sent for treatment to a health resort in Germany. He meets The Woman Who Wouldn't, fellow patient Clara Mulpas. I will not reveal what Clara "wouldn't"-- you'll have to read the book to find out! Clara is a young beauty who immediately catches Jeremy's interest. She is recovering from a terrible marriage, but she is unlikely to recover from a hopeless illness. As Jeremy's flirtation with Clara deepens to love, he must deal not only with his own journey of self-discovery, to conquer his own demons if he is ever to perform again, but with the prospect of losing the woman who is giving his life new meaning. Gene Wilder has dedicated the book to Anton Chekhov, and he begins his story with this quote from Chekhov: "When we do something completely out of our control, I think it's a good thing... perhaps worthwhile wants to come out, if only it knew how." Something VERY worthwhile has come out in this book. Mr. Wilder's writing is beautifully detailed, warm, and filled with poignancy and gentle humor. As Jeremy tells us his story, one feels that it may well be the voice of Mr. Wilder in our heads... and as with his first novel, the lovely MY FRENCH WHORE, you won't want this book to end, because you won't want to leave his company. While Mr. Wilder's style is deceptively simple, he truly gets to the heart of his subject, and of his characters. He'll get to your heart too. I recommend THE WOMAN WHO WOULDN'T highly. And it would make a great Mother's Day gift!

A short and sweet novel

This is a very imaginative, compelling, fun and yet serious book...I couldn't put it down. The characters were wonderful. Yes, Mr. Wilder, I would like more!