The Editor
by Steven Rowley
Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons 2019
Pages 308 Price $27. 99

Steven Rowley, the author of this new novel, is originally from Portland, Maine.  He graduated  from Emerson College, in Boston, my old alma mater, and I selected the book for both reasons. I also liked the title, “The Editor.”

The story is told in the first person so it reads like a memoir but it is fiction. It is about a writer who finally sells his novel to a major publishing company. An interview is arranged by a literary  agent and James shows up on time at the publishing company’s office. He is a little nervous but excited as he takes the elevator up to the correct floor.

The meeting with the editor is to smooth things out and improve the manuscript in places but the company does like the book. James gets off the elevator and meets Lila, who directs him to a conference room down a long hallway which has offices on each side. She casually says over her shoulder, “The editor will be in shortly.”

James finds the conference room, sits down and waits patiently. When he looks up he sees Jackie Kennedy walking into the room with a yellow pad of paper. She sits down at the conference table and says in her whispery voice, ”James, lovely to make your acquaintance. I’m Jacqueline.” James can’t breathe. He does not know what to say. He recognizes her immediately and is awe stricken. He finally says,“Your Jacqueline Kennedy?” She says, “Onassis.”

Then she continues, “James, I am the editor who liked your book.” Now he really cannot breathe. She mentions she has read his book,“The Quarantine” twice, and asks if he was ever  quarantined. He says, “Yes, with my mother, but not formally.”  Jackie states,”How did you decide to use that as a framing device?” James replies, “We all feel isolated, don’t we?”

James clears his throat and says, “I feel embarrassed but what should I call you?” She states, “I think Mrs. Onassis would be appropriate if you agree.” Putting her editor cap on she continues,” I see great promise in your work. It just needs a little polishing.” That afternoon begins a long friendship and a mentor relationship between editor and writer that is carried out throughout the book.

James can’t wait until he sees Daniel, his lover, at their apartment, to tell him of his great luck and wonderful experience in meeting “The Editor” of his novel.

The next work session on his book scheduled with Mrs. Onanssis reveals although she is very tactful and soft spoken, her suggestions about his book are strong. She suggests changing the title from “Quarantine” to “Ithaca” because that is her favorite poem by Constantine Cavafy and reflects (as in the Odyssey) that wisdom is found in the hero’s travels.

James is shocked and speechless but remains composed. He has read Homer’s Odyssey but has not read the poem “Ithaca” by Cavafy and that does not relate to his book. James’s book is about his mother, her life, and her withdrawal from his life.

Mrs. Onassis feels James must take a psychological journey to understand more about his mother in order to end his book. In fact, Jackie suggests that James go home and confront his mother about his feelings and hear her ideas and opinions which may have caused her reactions of detachment. Jackie does compare James with her son and he understands that as a compliment. However, he can barely swallow her suggestions.He does agree to visit home and try to communicate with his mother.

His mother is a traditional Irish Catholic woman devoted to the church and a great admirer of the Kennedy family. She wanted to name James after Bobby Kennedy but her husband wanted his own name for his son. So she took Bobby Kennedy’s middle name Francis and gave it to her son as his middle name. James’s mother does not want a book written about her. She is a private person. Communicating with her is very hard. She will say yes or no on things but never gives reasons why. James thinks he caused his parents’ divorce and has carried that guilt with him as an adult. So there are deep emotional scars that have to be explored.

A number of drafts of James’s manuscript have been made over the months and James has been working hard on them. He travels to Martha’s Vineyard to meet again with Jackie to get more suggestions.  However, he travels with a heavy heart but is hopeful. In her latest draft she has said on the manuscript in passages: CUT, VERGING ON MELODRAMATIC, TRITE, GIVE THE READER MORE. ETC.

James calls to discuss her suggestions by phone to avoid a trip but she insists that he come to Martha’s Vineyard to work through her ideas with him. He agrees. What Jackie does not know is that James has only spoken to his mother once since he told her about Jackie being his editor. His mother was not impressed although she always had admired the first lady. Apparently she has no confidence in her son as he constantly seeks her approval.

At dinner with Jackie, after a lengthy discussion of his book, James softly says, “I couldn’t help think you’d advise me differently if this book was about you.” Jackie immediately says,”This book is about me.”(The reader does not know what Jackie means by that statement. James is not sure either!!!) Perhaps she meant all mothers are alike to a certain degree or that she identifies with James’s mother so strongly that she feels one with her.

James goes back to Jackie’s guest house on Martha’s Vineyard and rewrites passages. There are many meetings over months in different locations where James constantly rewrites massive passages in his journey to finish his book, in essence to understand his mother.

Meanwhile the book is really about Jackie Kennedy,“The Editor,” not James’s mother. We do not hear that much about James’s mother! We get an amazing imaginary assessment of Jackie Kennedy’s intellectual and creative ability to be an editor, her passion for books, and her love of helping new writers to become recognized. She loved discovering writers and James was one of her special discoveries.

If you want to know if James’s book gets published and if he  finally resolves issues with his mother, as well as reconciles with Daniel, his lover, you will have to read the book.

This unusual book reveals an intimate and different perspective of Jackie Kennedy. It also explores the importance of motherhood and its impact on a child even as an adult. It is a book for light summer reading and for all people fascinated by the legendary and wonderful Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

— Pat Davidson Reef is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston. She received her Masters Degree at the University of Southern Maine. She taught English and Art History at Catherine McAuley High for many years. She now teaches at the University of Southern Maine in Portland in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Classic Films. She recently wrote a children’s book,”Dahlov Ipcar Artist,” and has now completed another children’s book “Bernard Langlais Revisited.”