Since childhood, the three Whiting sisters have spent their summers on Martha’s Vineyard. However, after their father, U.S. Senator Charles Whiting, tragically dies in a plane accident, their mother, Virgie, requests their presence on the island to prepare the house for sale. Charlie’s untimely demise has left behind debts, and the banks are threatening foreclosure. Virgie appears to be handling this change in stride, while Louisa, Aggie, and Betsy are reluctant to relinquish a home steeped in both cherished memories and painful experiences. As they embark on the arduous task of packing boxes, the secrets they uncover challenge the idyllic image of their family, as portrayed in Charlie’s campaign ads.
Brooke Lea Foster’s Our Last Vineyard Summer is narrated from two distinct time periods: 1965, a time when women were traditionally expected to stay at home and raise children, and 1978, a decade when the women’s movement was in full swing. Virgie, portrayed as the ideal politician’s wife, grappled with the constraints imposed upon her by her husband, Charlie. He compelled her to relinquish her weekly newspaper column, “Dear Virgie,” where she fearlessly addressed contentious issues that affected women, such as workplace discrimination and financial regulations that hindered their ability to own property or obtain credit cards.
Virgie’s concerns extended beyond her own well-being and the well-being of her friends to her daughters. Her guiding principle was that they should be courageous and forge their own unique paths in life. As children, she would sit them down and encourage them to create a list of their aspirations. When they included items like “become a wife” and “have a baby,” she would cross them off and remind them to “think bigger.” To drive home her point, she had them take flying lessons, which sent Charlie flying with anger.
Louisa, the eldest, was never close to her father, despite being the most accomplished child. She graduated from college and law school and works for a prestigious New York law firm. Addie, now married with a toddler and an infant, is the middle child, adept at maintaining good relations with both parents and intervening when Louisa and Betsy are at odds. At their father’s funeral, Louisa accused Betsy of not contributing enough to the preparations, preferring to converse with those who came to pay their respects. Betsy is aware that her sisters consider her their father’s favorite and is hurt by Louisa’s accusation.
Both Louisa and Betsy are grappling with challenges in their careers. Louisa has been overlooked for a promotion, which she believes is discriminatory. She faces two options: accept a lower role in her future at the firm or seek a new job. Betsy, pursuing a doctorate in psychology at Columbia, is in a difficult situation. She had an affair with her professor, who has been offered a tenured position at Dartmouth. She had hopes of a proposal and a move together, but instead, he had a final meeting with her, giving her a failing grade on her paper and revealing that he has reconciled with his estranged wife. Devastated, Betsy is considering abandoning her doctoral program and possibly staying on the island for a longer period.
In an author’s note, Foster reveals that the concept for this novel originated from a question: what would it be like to grow up with a prominent feminist like Gloria Steinem as a mother? Coincidentally, Molly Jong-Fast’s memoir, titled How to Lose Your Mother – A Daughter’s Memoir, explores a similar real-life situation. Jong-Fast’s mother, Erica Jong, gained fame for her book Fear of Flying, which solidified her status as a feminist icon. From a generational perspective, Baby Boomer mothers are witnessing the gradual erosion of the gains they made for their daughters and granddaughters. The message, whether conveyed through a memoir or a novel, is unequivocal: the struggle for equality continues, and we must persist in our fight.
Our Last Vineyard Summer
Brooke Lea Foster
Top photo: Shutterstock
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