Joan Castleman

Joan Castleman, née Joan Ames, is the novel’s protagonist and narrator. As a young woman in the 1950s, she attended Smith College, where she took an undergraduate creative writing course taught by Joe Castleman. Joe earnestly praised Joan’s writing, but as a woman, she did not feel comfortable trying to have a career in the misogynistic, male-dominated literary world. Joan and Joe soon fell in love. Joe left his wife, and he and Joan moved to New York City together. Joan’s wealthy, anti-Semitic parents disapproved of the relationship. Joan was eager that Joe should succeed as a writer, but she soon realized that Joe was quite talentless.

Joan therefore decided to use her own literary talents by essentially writing his books for him. Because of Joan’s assistance, Joe quickly became a big literary success. Joan and Joe remained married for decades, although...