The Group, by Mary McCarthy

The Group follows the story of eight Vassar graduates in the 30s, most not really friends but somehow bonded through being ‘grouped’ together in living quarters at college. They all stay in touch after graduating even though many of them don’t actually like each other and they have little in common apart from their shared college experience. More like a series of connected short stories than a novel, the book is nonetheless perfectly structured, beginning with a wedding and ending with a funeral around eight years later. Brutally honest in its depiction of marital and sexual relationships, the tone is somewhat grim as very few of the main characters are likeable or happy. All left college with great expectations of themselves and the world, most of which are disappointed to some degree, largely because they discover that regardless of privilege, ability or enthusiasm as women they will always be second class citizens. The frustrations and ambitions of these women of the 1930s are not so different from those of the 60s, when the novel was published, or of today. It seems the continuing struggle for equality is always two steps forward and one step back. Apart from some obscure language and very local references the writing remains fresh and topical. A classic.