The Summer Without Men

Summary

The novel "The Summer Without Men" by Siri Hustvedt tells the story of Mia Fredricksen, a poet who faces a crisis after thirty years of marriage when her husband announces he needs a "pause" in their relationship. Shaken and emotionally shattered, Mia decides to spend the summer in her hometown, where her mother resides in a nursing home. During this time, she interacts with a group of elderly women, a neighbor and her teenage daughter, and teaches poetry to a group of girls. Through these relationships and events, Mia explores themes of female friendship, motherhood, aging, and self-discovery, gradually regaining her emotional balance and finding new meanings in life.