A Charmed Life


A Charmed Life is a 1955 novel written by the American novelist Mary McCarthy.

Setting

A Charmed Life takes place in the small New England town of New Leeds, where "everyone is artistic, but no one is an artist."

Characters

The story begins with the simple trials and tribulations of everyday life experienced by John and Martha Sinnott. Their background stories are gradually introduced, especially during their picnic with the Coes in the beginning. One night when John is away, Martha and Miles drunkenly have sex at Martha's house after a party at the Coes. Martha becomes pregnant soon after, and rather than having a baby whose paternity is ambiguous, she decides to have an abortion. Warren lends Martha the money to have an abortion. The story ends with Martha dying in a car accident on her way home from the Coes house, with the money for the abortion and the address of the clinic in her pocketbook.

Author

was an essayist, author, and critic known for writing on political, moral, and intellectual dilemmas through the use of humor and acerbity.