glaks's review
2.0
Really not sure how to rate this book. On one hand, I read it for (1) the voyeurism and (2) it’s set in San Francisco. It delivered on both fronts. On the other hand, pretty much everyone in the book annoyed me. I’m not trying to judge the author’s decision to open her marriage; I felt more judgmental by what I saw as a serious lack of communication between the author and her husband, and between so many other people. I was annoyed pretty much the whole time I was listening, but I couldn’t stop because I wanted to know what happened. So... how do I rate a book that gave me what I was looking for and that I finished in two days, but that I did not enjoy in any way?
lemonysea's review
3.0
I thought The Wild Oats Project by Robin Rinaldi looked like an unique memoir, and I was happy to receive a copy of it through the Goodreads First Reads program.
The Goodreads description of the book suggests that it combines "the strong literary voice of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild with the adventurousness of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love" and that it "challenges our sensibilities and evokes the delicate balance between loving others and staying true to oneself”. I was expecting it to be about one last, lust-filled romp before middle age sets in, but was pleasantly surprised to find that there was much more depth to this book.
The book describes a one year period in the author’s life in which she has an open marriage; she spends weekends with her husband, and weekdays sowing her wild oats with others. The impetus for this one year project was her husband’s announcement that he wanted a vasectomy - which conflicted with her desire to have a child. If she couldn’t have a child, then she wanted to have lovers, but just for a short time, after which she would return full-time to her marriage. The decision to embark upon this project after many years of marriage was one that Robin’s husband supported.
One reason I like to read memoirs is to learn about the lives of people who are different from myself, and this book was definitely an eye opener for me. Robin Rinaldi’s book provided a deeply personal and brutally honest accounting of her journey of self-discovery. Yes, there are descriptions of sexual encounters, but there is much emotional and spiritual introspection. It’s a well-written and thought-provoking book.
The Goodreads description of the book suggests that it combines "the strong literary voice of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild with the adventurousness of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love" and that it "challenges our sensibilities and evokes the delicate balance between loving others and staying true to oneself”. I was expecting it to be about one last, lust-filled romp before middle age sets in, but was pleasantly surprised to find that there was much more depth to this book.
The book describes a one year period in the author’s life in which she has an open marriage; she spends weekends with her husband, and weekdays sowing her wild oats with others. The impetus for this one year project was her husband’s announcement that he wanted a vasectomy - which conflicted with her desire to have a child. If she couldn’t have a child, then she wanted to have lovers, but just for a short time, after which she would return full-time to her marriage. The decision to embark upon this project after many years of marriage was one that Robin’s husband supported.
One reason I like to read memoirs is to learn about the lives of people who are different from myself, and this book was definitely an eye opener for me. Robin Rinaldi’s book provided a deeply personal and brutally honest accounting of her journey of self-discovery. Yes, there are descriptions of sexual encounters, but there is much emotional and spiritual introspection. It’s a well-written and thought-provoking book.
jenhi's review
2.0
I'd really been looking forward to reading this memoir of the author's year of living "for passion at any cost." There's no doubt that Robin Rinaldi's story is interesting, or that her writing is strong and clear. Unfortunately, her story is self-indulgent and narcissistic to a point where I felt bad for all of the characters who crossed her path. She claims that she is exploring the fine line between loving others and being true to herself, but her lack of empathy or love for others is what ultimately had me losing interest in this exploration about halfway through.
novelsistah's review
4.0
This book is like Strayed's Wild but instead of hiking, there is sexual exploration. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Rinaldi and her willingness to share this experience with the world.
iron_bunny's review against another edition
1.0
I feel like I am judging this book unfairly. I gave it one star not because of the contents or how it was written, but because of the author. I actually liked how it was written, and you can tell the author has a long career in writing. I just wish she wrote about something that wasn't so controversial and made her look so bad.
I see the point in searching for what you want, when you feel like you've lost purpose in life. I get that she was feeling lost in her marriage, but I feel like it could've been resolved better and less painful. All of the author's actions (cheating, lying, deceiving) do not make her look good. I just don't like how she stepped over a lot of her family and friends in order to make herself happy.
I see the point in searching for what you want, when you feel like you've lost purpose in life. I get that she was feeling lost in her marriage, but I feel like it could've been resolved better and less painful. All of the author's actions (cheating, lying, deceiving) do not make her look good. I just don't like how she stepped over a lot of her family and friends in order to make herself happy.
valdez's review
4.0
Yep, another book about a woman in her 40's having an affair. I am drawn to this type of book and this was a great example of the form. Robin drills down deeply into figuring out why she is dissatisfied with her marriage. The year that she spent sexually exploring was very interesting.
bohowallflower's review
5.0
Really loved the style of Rinaldi's writing. It was one of the few books I've read recently that I couldn't put down. though I didn't agree with every decision she made, what captivated me was her honesty and how beautifully her story was told. I was very invested by the end and was happy for her with the outcome of her Project. great read.
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