Ruthann Robson is undoubtedly one of the most talented voices in contemporary lesbian fiction, and The Struggle for Happiness is, not surprisingly, wholly compelling from start to finish. As with her earlier works, I found it difficult to put the book down for even a moment. Robson fully fleshes out her characters in each tale; her protagonists' darker sides are exposed unflinchingly, resulting in a decidedly intriguing--and far from light-hearted--story collection. I was especially touched by "Pas de Deux" and "Women's Music," but do read the stories straight through from the beginning; you'll find interesting connections among discrete characters.

This is one of those rare books that gets better with every turned page. It is a well written prose; intelligent and emotional, so keenly mirroring life as a professional lesbian mother. I cannot wait for another book from Ruthann Robson. If you like good writing, this is great reading.

Cora, I understand your sentiment exactly- when is anyone going to write any lesbian fiction I can really relate to? This was better than most, but that isn't really saying anything - hence only two stars. Besides a highly implausible story, the two main characters were just not appealing in any way. None of the supporting characters were interesting and most were generally annoying. The death of one supporting character is completely unnecessary and depressing. A whole book about peoples' sad lives followed by a ridiculous ending out of a bad Hollywood movie - take a pass on this one.

Completely frivolous note -> despite the late 90s publishing date, the author obviously had been writing for some time considering the descriptions of hideously 80s clothes. :)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well paced, and I was immediately drawn to the characters. The author was very successful in weaving together the lives of two complete strangers. I highly recommend this book. When I finished it, I wanted to pick it up and start all over again.

I have to disagree with Ms. Snyder and say that this book was one of the most subtly witty and genuinely intelligent lesbian novels I've read in ages. (I also have to say that amazon.com's comparison of this book to, say, Karen X. Tulchinsky's "Love Ruins Everything" is totally off-base; the only similarity is the fact that both books have lesbian characters!) The fast-moving plot's twists as it wove around two fascinating protagonists kept me turning the pages almost too quickly--I didn't want the book to end. All in all, the novel was quirky, imaginative, and full of the kind of dark humor that appeals directly to readers like me. I look forward to Robson's future works, which I'm betting will be more masterpieces of literary fiction.

Robson is an openly lesbian, politically progressive law professor. (In later articles, she has come out as a cancer victim as well.) This is a collection of her essays on lesbians, homosexuality and the law. This book has a great introduction. Robson is a complex thinker, so do not assume this book will just say, "Aren't lesbian lawyers cool!?" Robson's analysis of legal issues can be overly pessimistic at times: as if one domestic partner law or pro-gay legal decision can be criticized for not removing all oppressions throughout the world! Still, this was an interesting read. It differs from many gay legal texts.