Marlene Wagman-Geller is now the proud author of thirteen publications. Very much describing her writing as what provides the purpose and colour to her life, her style is infused with a passionate voice. Diving into the world of influential women, read on to discover the background behind her two latest books.
A Room of Their Own and The World’s Wealthiest Women both focus on strong female figures. What motivated you to choose this topic?
The catalyst for A Room of Their Own was my belief that home museums receive short shrift as they are dwarfed by major museums. As my platform is women’s studies, I decided to focus on the residences that were once the domains of legendary ladies. Moreover, home museums provide a unique examination of standard biographies. The storied sites are imbibed with magical realism: by viewing the objects they once held dear, to walk the halls they once trod, the former chatelaines serve as ghostly guides. The inspiration for The World’s Wealthiest Women was to examine the over-riding question: Is great wealth commensurate with great happiness? In either contingency, the denizens of the one percent provide tantalizing tales.
Do you feel your time as a high school teacher had any influence on the kind of books you wanted to create?
My experience as a high school teacher impacted by books insofar as my years in the classroom proved the study of history has to be equal measure enlightening and informative.
The tales from The World’s Wealthiest Women are both fascinating and sometimes very dark. Did you learn any lessons yourself when doing the research for this book?
When researching The World’s Wealthiest Women I learned that great wealth does not serve as armor against life’s slings and arrows…..A priceless Chinese vase shatters as easily as one made from common Mexican clay.
When did you decide the time had come to pursue your life-long dream of becoming a writer?
I always hoped the time had come for me to become a writer. Alas, it is not easy to transform wishes into reality. The realization that dreams do not just have to be for sleeping arrived with the 2008 publication of my first book, Once Again to Zelda: The Stories Behind Literature’s Most Intriguing Dedications.
What made you choose the title A Room of Their Own?
The title, A Room of One’s Own, is an allusion to Virginia’s Woolf’s famous essay. The author wrote, “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.”
Is there a particular message you wish the reader to learn from the tales of these recent titles?
The message I would like readers of The World’s Wealthiest Women to know is money, while providing an open sesame to material goods and unparalleled opportunities, does not guarantee a happily ever after. Moreover, the biblical quote comes into play, “For whom much is given much is expected.” Great wealth comes with great cost.The message I would like to impart to readers of A Room of Their Own is that the world’s home museums should be an integral part of one’s travel bucket-list.
You can find Marlene’s books on Amazon, Bookshop, and Barnes & Noble!