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A review by lemonysea
The Wild Oats Project by Robin Rinaldi
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.