Lillian Boxfish is the character I'd like to be when I reach 85 (or even now if I'm honest). She's smart, sassy, charismatic and she approaches life with a bravura that masks her shortcomings and insecurities. However the Lillian we meet in 1984 hasn't always been that way, and during the course of New Years Eve 1984, we get to know all as Lillian looks back over her previous 'incarnations' from distinguished advertising copywriter, poet, wife, mother and finally aged divorcee.

The catalyst for her nocturnal wandering is a phone call from her son letting her know that his stepmother has just died - the stepmother that 'stole' Max, the love of Lillian's life. Or to be more precise, the absent-minded consumption of a packet of Oreo's during the call, that meant she was unable to eat her pre-booked dinner at her favourite Italian restaurant. What started as a walk from her original dinner reservation to regain her appetite, turned into a trip down memory lane, with detours and diversions to meaningful locations. From her first 'home' at the Christian Women's Hotel in Midtown down to Delmonico's near Wall Street. This latter was not just a legendary steakhouse, but the scene of her last lunch with Max, following their divorce. Finally she decides to take up a previously issued offer of a party to round off the evening - a party at which she'd have done well to heed the hostesses warnings - I'll say no more!

The story which is narrated by Lillian, is a warts and all look back at her life. It's not a sugar-coated reminiscing about all the good times, but a realistic look at how her life played out. While she may have been the 'highest paid advertising woman in the country' she still had to clear her desk and leave her position once she got pregnant. Her life took a downturn as she moved from celebrated career girl and poet to an everyday wife and mother. It was a change that as Lillian finally reveals had dramatic consequences for the way her life played out. Likewise, the people who Lillian meets while on her ramble have their own stories to tell and they offer an insight into mid 1980's New York society.

For me, the book wasn't just about Lillian it was also a celebration of New York or to be more precise, Manhattan. It was a walking tour of its parks, gardens, squares, districts and iconic buildings. It told the story of its development over the course of the 20th century from the Jazz Age in the 20's; the Prohibition of 30's; through to the urban renewal and increasing Asian immigration of the 60's. By 1984 Lillian's Manhattan was seeing the growing social disorder and crime rates of the 1970's being answered by a vigilante fight back. Through the re-telling of her life, Lillian also offered fascinating insights into the prevailing social and moral mores.

Lillian was an amazing character, and I was certainly enchanted by her older self. It wasn't until I'd finished reading I discovered she was based on a real life counterpart. Lillian Boxfish is the fictional embodiment of Margaret Fishback poet and advertising copywriter for Macy's and other major clients.

Lillian Boxfish, the protagonist of this story, is a feisty 85-year-old who has lived in New York her whole adult life and loves her city with a passion. When she takes her walk, on New Year's Eve of 1985, she revisits the scenes and landscapes of her life, and in so doing revisits her past triumphs and defeats.

I loved this novel for many reasons: It's a journey from 1920s New York to the 1980s; it's a feminist story of a career woman who forged a path for others, it's an intimate, walking tour of New York seen through the eyes of a woman of great intellect and rapier-sharp wit; and it contains interactions with complete strangers who create a warm connection in the intimate darkness of the vast and famous city.

Lillian Boxfish, like so many retired career women aged 85, has a vast store of knowledge and experience beneath the wrinkles and ravages of age. People who meet her seem surprised that the aged have anything to offer. She struggles to remain relevant and interact with people as an equal, not as an "old granny", and I admire this quality. She has pride in her appearance and in her accomplishments and wisdom. This book should be an eye-opener for the young and an inspiration for aging ladies.

The writer has captured Lillian and her city using a rich vocabulary, original metaphors, and pitch-perfect observations on human nature. I will probably re-read this book, just savour the journey....

Come take a walk with Lillian Boxfish as she traverses the city she calls home. Along the way she meets a cast of characters including a chauffeur, clerks, bartenders, and a few criminals. Lillian reflects back on her life set against the backdrop of NYC from the days of the Depression through World War II up to the hip hop 80s. So beautifully written you will walk every step with her.

I love Lillian Boxfish and I loved this book!! How refreshing to read a story about an 'old woman' that isn't condescending, doesn't try to be 'cute', and isn't depressing. The writing - the whole book - is crisp, witty, intelligent and a joy to read.

I stayed in an apartment on Murray Hill for a week in the mid-80's so I could easily envision Lillian on her walk. Her flashbacks to her life were seamlessly woven into the story of her walk through New York City. I thoroughly enjoyed Lillian's advertising verses (and appreciate that they were from a 'real-life person').

I only wish I could sit down with Lillian now and chat. She's the type of friend anyone would want to have!

Lillian Boxfish is quite possibly one of the most interesting characters I've had the pleasure of reading about in years! Her charm, composure, and wit are inspiring, especially to someone whose nerves tend to get the better of her in social interactions. I loved the way her walk around the city led to the reader's discovery of her life experiences. The struggled with the authenticity of some of the interactions Boxfish had with the people she encountered on her walk, but I can forgive it. I'm so glad I read this in ebook form, which made the wealth of new vocabulary that much easier to look up and take in! I'll definitely be recommending this to friends!

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thoroughly charming book, made even better by the author's afterword, in which you find the story was based on a real person. The settings, the descriptions of mores of the time - all of it was pure delight.

When I closed the book on Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, I was rather sad. I didn't want the evening to end. Alternating between the past and the present (New Year's Eve 1984), we learn about Lillian, a strong, witty woman that has faced life's challenges with varying degrees of success but with plenty to say about each one. A pioneer in advertising copywriting and poetry back in the 1930s, Lillian's command of language and the resulting "Lillianisms" truly make this book a heart-warming charmer!

It's 1984, and eighty-five year old Lillian has decided she wants to celebrate New Year's Eve with a dinner--alone--at her favorite neighborhood restaurant. But after she sits down at her table and realizes she isn't even hungry, she decides to take a walk around her beloved New York City instead.

While she walks, she reminisces. She remembers her days as a marketing exec for R.H. Macy's in the 1930s. She remembers her coworkers, her friends, her frenemies. She, of course, examines her (failed) marriage--the high moments and the very, very low. She remembers her son, her grandchildren--all the people she has gained, and all the people she has lost. And she ponders all of this with good humor, razor sharp wit, and, above all, elegance.

Lillian is basically everything I love in my most-loved characters. She is the odd, strong woman after my own heart. Pitter patter, both sing within my chest. She's clever, unconventional, feisty, irreverent. She's insightful and good-natured, generally content but still honest enough to be melancholy when it makes sense.

She's resilient. She has the onward and upward spirit that won't die, even in those moments she'd like it to. She is stubbornly, tenaciously driven forward. She knows herself and she hasn't shied away from life, so, by now, she knows a few things. But she's not trying to be better than anyone (most of the time). She's trying to be the best Lillian she can be, and she doesn't need to trample on anyone else to accomplish that.

In short, Lillian Boxfish is sassy class all the way, and I felt privileged taking this long walk with her. Five luminous supergiants all the way.

Also, if you like this one, oh man, I have a million (seven) suggestions for you:

Olive Kitteridge
Lillian on Life
Britt-Marie Was Here
A Man Called Ove
Miller's Valley
Lots of Candles Plenty of Cake
Maybe Hausfrau, but only if you're already depressed...

This was such an enjoyable read! I loved the character of Lillian Boxfish; she is a strong, witty woman and her story was entrancing. Lillian, as an elderly lady, reminisces about her life as she walks through New York on New Years Eve, 1984. We get a peek into her time in the 1920's as part of the advertising scene, which I found fascinating. There are other flashbacks over the course of her life and with each one the story grows a little more complex.

The plot feels very laid back, so don't go into this expecting a fast paced read. I personally really enjoyed the writing style and the subject; I couldn't put it down.

3.5 Stars. This was an interesting book. I did have a difficult time getting into it and felt it was a bit long but I didn't want to give up on it. Did enjoy parts of the book that detailed her walk through the city. Interesting people she met along the way. The person she met at her friend Wendy's party, Jason, was quite the character. I liked the way Lillian handled herself with him, as well as the three thugs she met on as she was making her way back home before the year ended.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This was an interesting read, and as the book description suggests, it is one woman's love story with New York City, through the story of her life. I enjoyed the descriptions and history of the city described through the memoir like perspective of Lillian Boxfish, who is an exceptional fictional female character.

I loved this book! The narration is witty, the characters along the way real and full of life and hope. A fantastic read!

Eighty-five year old Lillian is going for a walk on New Year’s eve. A very long walk. Never the wilting violet, her walk takes her through dangerous neighbourhoods as well as old haunts. As she passes from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, old memories surface as she relives her life beginning as a young career woman who rose to fame writing ads for Macy’s Department Store in the 1930s. Her widely publicized creed that a woman doesn’t need romance or love in her life backfires when she falls completely and insanely in love with Max. With the birth of her child, her lifestyle and aspirations change abruptly, causing her to lose her lose her sense of self.

Although this book is a work of fiction, the author’s inspiration came from the real life character of Margaret Fishback, a poet and the real highest-paid female advertising copywriter in the world during the 1930s.

The author, herself a poet, delivers a delightfully witty and touching story of a woman who has it all, loses it all and then comes to terms with who she has become. I smiled often at Lillian’s witticisms and feisty repartee and will buy the hardbound book just so that I can re-read this wonderful story again.

one of the most charming characters I have ever encountered. Thoroughly enjoyed her wit, her. honesty and a story about not giving in to old age and staying true to oneself.

Great story spanning the life of Lilian, pulls the reader in and draws you into the story.

This novel reminded me of others that have been released in the past few years about older adults going on journeys. I particularly enjoyed the role that New York City played in the novel.

on the cusp of 1985, 85-year-old Lillian Boxfish takes a walk. she leaves her Murray Hill apt in Manhattan and walks all over the island, reminiscing about her remarkable life and meeting new people all along the way. This lovely and witty old lady is charming and adventurous and sweet.
*will also post this review on my blog at the end of the month!*

An 84 year old woman steps out of her New York apartment on New Year's Eve 1984 and sets off on the walk of her life...literally. As Lillian walks, we experience her past through her reminisces, her stories, the familiar places she sees, and the people she meets. And oh my, the people she meets: the security guard at the docks, the young pregnant woman, the three young muggers. These conversations are at times hilarious, but also pointed and rich in wisdom. Yet, this entire book is so much more than just the story of an old woman; it is the story of any feminist, who fought for her place at the table with the men, who tried and failed to live without love in her life, who struggled with depression and relationships and parenthood, and who lived her life with wit and her eyes wide open. A phenom in the ad game, Lillian is reminiscent of a Dorothy Parker, with short sassy poems sprinkled throughout the book, showing her incisive intelligence about life and what people 'need' to have, or not. Lillian reminds us, "The point of living in the world is just to stay interested." I loved, loved, loved this book - I only hope I can stay as 'interested' in life as our gal Lillian.

This book wasn't an instant love of mine. But I happened to catch Katharine Hepburn on TV and then started the book again and suddenly found that now Lillian's voice was Hepburn's and then the book, for me, was perfect. Her early years at work for Macy's became even better once Hepburn's voice was dealing with the treacherous Olive at work. All of the various stories came alive in a way that earlier they had not. I'm sure it speaks more to my limitations as a reader than to the author's writing, but I admit it nonetheless. However you find to best read the book, just do it. You won't be disappointed. This is a star turn for an author eager to introduce us to a character she has long admired. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Sassy Lillian Boxfish hasn't worked for R. H. Macy in 25 years but she still loves New York and the life it breathes into her. Elegant, possibly ever so slightly eccentric, she sets off on a before-dinner walk to work up a new appetite after unconsciously consuming an entire packet of Oreo's whilst on the phone to her son. We've all been there! In fact Oreo's crop up several times as the devil's own work, and this firmly roots Ms Boxfish in the present day setting of 1984. The walk takes us on a trip down memory lane, to the New York of the 1930s, a different era, a different world. Told in Lillian's own voice this narrative of an ageing and beautiful retro-perspective is written beautifully and eloquently with the ease of injection of colour and textures, but mostly people and the New York community. Ingenius phrasing, golden nuggets of insightfulness, it's easy to conjur Lillian and I for one adore her. Truly beautiful literary fiction.