Miss Jane: A Novel

Written by Brad Watson

Narrated by Tiffany Morgan

Astonishing prose brings to life a forgotten woman and a lost world in a strange and bittersweet Southern pastoral. Since his award-winning debut collection of stories, Last Days of the Dog-Men, Brad Watson has been expanding the literary traditions of the South, in work as melancholy, witty, strange, and lovely as any in America. Now, drawing on the story of his own great-aunt, Watson explores the life of Miss Jane Chisolm, born in rural, early-twentieth-century Mississippi with a genital birth defect that would stand in the way of the central "uses" for a woman in that time and place: sex and marriage. From the highly erotic world of nature around her to the hard tactile labor of farm life, from the country doctor who befriends her to the boy who loved but was forced to leave her, Miss Jane Chisolm and her world are anything but barren. The potency and implacable cruelty of nature, as well as its beauty, is a trademark of Watson's fiction. In Miss Jane, the author brings to life a hard, unromantic past that is tinged with the sadness of unattainable loves, yet shot through with a transcendent beauty. Jane Chisolm's irrepressible vitality and generous spirit give her the strength to live her life as she pleases in spite of the limitations that others, and her own body, would place on her. Free to satisfy only herself, she mesmerizes those around her, exerting an unearthly fascination that lives beyond her still.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781501945724

Brad Watson

Brad Watson teaches creative writing at the University of Wyoming, Laramie. His first collection, Last Days of the Dog-Men, won the Sue Kaufman Award for First Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters; his first novel, The Heaven of Mercury, was shortlisted for the National Book Award in 2002, and his second story collection Aliens in the Prime of Their Lives was shortlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. His book Miss Jane is based on his own Great Aunt, Miss Jane Chisolm.

Reviews for Miss Jane

[carolfoisset · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very difficult for me to review this book, so hard to describe how powerful and beautiful I found it.(Beware- Reading a summary of the topic can be misleading!) The writing is lyrical, deep, and moving. The characters and sense of time and place are all well developed, this book sucked me into it's world. I think I will always remember Miss Jane.

[froxgirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The death of this talented and empathetic writer will be deeply felt by all readers who loved his limited output. Miss Jane is based on the life of a relative of his who suffered from a malformation of her genitalia, a difficult subject to build a novel upon. But this deeply felt story is also a narrative of the Great Depression, of strained family ties, and of love and generosity. Jane's inoperable disability leaves her unable to have a sexual life, but she rises above it and beyond the cruelty of her mother and sister, aided by a compassionate family doctor and confidante. It's difficult to imagine how she achieves her equanimity, or wanting to read a book centered around such a hardship, but Watson manages to treat his character with the utmost respect and admiration.

[donnaeverhart · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was such a unique story. I really liked how the clarification of Miss Jane's "issue" wasn't revealed until I read the Acknowledgements in the back of the book.

So sad this author has passed, and will no longer gift us with new stories.

[nwieme-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Different, but I came to really love the characters! And now. I miss them.

[starbox_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written novel, following the quiet and necessarily limited- yet content- life of a rural Mississippi woman.Born in 1915 to a farming family, Jane Chisholm has major physical defects which, while not dangerous, will never allow her to control her incontinence. The early efforts to fit in- the prolonged fasts before any social event; the frequent dashing from the room, dousings with perfume - give way to a gradual acceptance that solitude is to be her lot, and a calm, dignified life alone.Recommended.

[lukes_171461 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brad Watson presents the story of Jane Chisolm, born in Mississippi in the early part of the 20th Century, in Miss Jane. Delivered at home by a country doctor, Jane comes into the world with a birth defect that complicates her bodily functions, and which the doctor believes would put her at perilous risk during a pregnancy, if such is even possible for her. If Jane is unique, this narrative treats her with reality, candor, and honor.The book opens with Jane’s birth, the doctor’s concerns, and her superstitious parents’ doubts. During her childhood Jane only spends a few months going to the one-room school, but learns how to read in that short time. She learns her numbers watching her dad sell items and make change in his roadside store. But she learns to trust and love the avuncular doctor who takes an interest in her growth and development, in her life.At length it is the doctor, Ed Thompson, who becomes her most important mentor and confidant. He researches possible cures for her physical abnormalities, but given the time period, the first half of the 20th Century, these will not pan out for Jane. The doctor visits frequently during her infancy and babyhood, and as she grows up, his visits become more those of a devoted and caring neighbor. When Jane travels socially to the doctor’s home, she encounters the peacocks with which the doctor has populated his property. These unique creatures give piercing calls, and keep insect numbers under control, but most importantly allow Jane and the doctor to consider some of life’s essential questions. Dr. Thompson introduced peafowl to the area early in his practice, and they become part of the story as his and Jane’s years pass. She becomes familiar with them during her visits, and at length the doctor shares his thoughts about them. He sees them as magnificent and proud creatures, who make extravagant display at no slight cost to themselves. The very illogic of it is a wonderment to the doctor, and generates thoughts on creation, life, and the apparent lack of reason to it all. He explains to Jane that, like her, the birds do not have apparent outward genitalia, but must procreate through a small puckered opening called a cloaca. Thus does her communicate his opinion of Jane’s grace, beauty and uniqueness in the world. It is a beautiful moment in a book rife with them.Mr. Watson has placed in Jane’s life the wonder and unsolvable riddle of life. Jane is no scholar, but her wisdom and ability shine through. In Jane’s dotage, the peafowl have colonized Jane’s property, and the reader is moved to admire Jane’s resilience, and the author’s wondrous though very plainspoken skill in showing it to the world.

[akblanchard_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The title character of Brad Watson's novel Miss Jane is born with a urogenital malformation that causes incontinence and makes sexual intercourse impossible. In the early 1900s, when she was born, reparative surgery or even secure adult diapers were not available to her, so her condition forces her to drastically limit her range of experiences. Nonetheless, she finds sensual fulfillment in the natural world, and companionship in her friendship with the dedicated doctor who tries to help her.This lyrical novel, which is based on the author's great-aunt's experiences, is unremittingly sad, but it is interesting because it exposes a kind of solitary life that doesn't often make it into books. Recommended.

[kimmeyer-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read the jacket copy if you wish, but it cant do Miss Jane justice. This quiet novel's strength is in its stunning writing.

[phyllis.shepherd · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a rare 5-star read for me. Its unlikely topic - the life of a woman with a urological abnormality - will not appeal to everyone, but the author's graceful prose, carefully drawn characters, and beautiful elucidation of southern country life make this a book that will linger in my memory for a long time.

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane Chisolm is born with a birth defect that leaves her incontinent and likely unable to bear children. This is the early 20th c. in rural Mississippi and nothing can be done to fix it. As a result, she is unable to live a normal life. Her one attempt at school ends in humiliation and marriage is out of the question. Yet, despite this, Jane leads a very fulfilling and mostly happy life.Miss Jane is written by author Brad Watson who based the character of Jane on his aunt. The story covers her life from her birth and is a tender and poignant portrayal of a woman, who by all accounts and based on the mores of the time, had every reason to be bitter but who is able to rise above her physical limitations. Although hers is mostly a solitary life, she finds joy in small things, nature walks, a country dance, the company of her doctor who wants, more than anything, to find someone who can fix her problem. Interestingly, her calm acceptance of her limits is contrasted with her sister who, despite being able to lead a normal life, refuses to accept what was perceived as the acceptable role for a woman at the time.Miss Jane is a story about how physical disabilities can both limit a life and free it from the confines of society. This is a story that could easily cross the line from touching to maudlin but perhaps because it is based on his own family, Watson never crosses the line. As a result, Miss Jane is touching without being manipulative, quiet without becoming boring, a deceptively simple tale about a character who could easily elicit pity from the reader but instead demands their empathy. Thanks to Edelweiss and W.W. Norton & Co. for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[lit_chick_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

1918, Mississippi: Miss Jane, a beautiful blue-eyed baby, is born to the Chisholms, both parents surprised to be having another child because of their later years. And, well, because neither particularly remembers the occasion on which she was conceived: the father inebriated on his favoured apple brandy, and the mother compromised by laudanum. Immediately, Dr Ed Thompson realizes that something is terribly wrong. As he will later explain so lovingly to Jane, her privates were not fully formed at birth – a misfortune which will leave her incontinent and at a loss to ever know an intimate relationship with a man or to bear children. In 1918, of course, a woman’s role did not extend beyond marriage and children, so Miss Jane is left to carve an unconventional life for herself.And carve she does! Jane is a beautifully developed character – the more admirable because she is based on Watson’s great aunt. Fearless (but for horses), she is full of a strength and grace that most of us would be hard pressed to achieve. With a penchant for simply getting on with life, there is no time in her world for self-pity, not even when she loses to her deformity the one young man she might have made a life with. Dr Ed is Jane’s saving grace: her dear friend and sole human comfort. The two are fast friends until the doctor’s death. This is not to say that Jane’s parents and her older sister are not well written – they are! But their characters are weak and self-centered: none of them any match for Miss Jane.– a beautifully written, quiet, thoughtful novel. Most highly recommended!

[vancouverdeb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In 1918 Mississippi, Jane is born to somewhat older parents.At her birth, the kind Dr. Thompson notes that baby Jane has a genital defect that he does not quite understand, but as time goes by he is gradually able to gently explain to Jane in more detail what the problem is. Due the genital defect, Jane is incontinent and cannot control her bowels. This does not pose too much of a problem in the first few years, but as Jane wishes to go to school and enlarge her life, wearing layers of clothes and a diaper- like garment makes life very much of a challenge for spirited and intelligent Jane. Jane's older sister, Grace, finds herself responsible for much of Jane's care in the first few years.We follow Jane through life, her first love for a boy, attempting to work, trying to fit into her farming community, and later on , endeavoring to fit into city life.Jane has a variety of people around her, some very sympathetic and caring, others quite harsh. This is a beautiful, contemplative account of a quiet , lonely and emotion- filled life. A beautifully told story that calls to mind the style of Kent Haruf and perhaps Laura Pritchett.Highly recommended .

[carmenere_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After the death of their youngest child the Chisholm's, thinking they were well past their fertile years, gave birth to a beautiful blue eyed baby. Dr. Thompson hesitates on proclaiming the baby's sex but believes it is a girl. The difficulty in giving Baby Jane a sex concerns the fact she was born with a genital birth defect which will never allow her to fulfill, what in the early 20th century, a woman's duty to have children or even be intimate with a man. That's not all. The defect also has some very unacceptable social taboos which leave her unable to go to school or keep friends. For a very brief time, Jane fell in love with the neighbor boy and in a Cinderella like period of time she dances, flirts and acts like her infliction does not even exist. But it does and when reality returns, young Jane learns how to live with her problems and shield them as best she can or use them to her advantage when need be. Her soulmate through life are not her disgruntled parents nor her freedom seeking sister but the doctor who brought her into this world. He taught her about life and peacocks and love. A beautiful story which is based on the authors family. Touching and well written.

[muddyboy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel is based on the life of the author's aunt. As a baby, doctors find that her reproductive and urinary organs are abnormal. Because of this she must wear diapers and she knows she will never have children. She must fashion a life with this health condition. Over the years there are short periods of hope with possible medical solutions which are dashed. She would like romance in her life but her health looms large. The main consistency in her life is her family doctor who becomes close friends and truly cares about her. It is not all bad as she finds joy in other things. An uplifting novel about a wonderful woman.

[bradylouie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a beautiful meditation on life. Jane finds peace and accepts her life in a way her "normal" parents and siblings couldn't.

[itzey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Miss Jane is loosely based on the author’s great-aunt, Mary Ellis (Jane) Clay. The”real” Jane had an unknown abnormality that left her incontinent and made her an oddity in a time when women had few opportunities to forge a life outside of marriage and family. The author’s goal, unlike his previous more heady works, was to fashion a more natural work following one character from conception through her death.Ida and Sylvester Chisolm led a hard knock life on their subsistence farm in Mercury, Mississippi in the early 20th century. WWI had just ended and the Great Depression was on the doorstep waiting to further challenge poor farm families. Ida having birthed five children and buried two of them by the time she was 39 was glad to have reached the end of that part of her life. Sylvester and Ida were “disposed to darkness of spirit” and they both dealt with the harsh realities in their own negative way. Sly turned to drink and the comfort of his woodland still. Ida turned to laudanum to calm her nerves and when provoked to anger manically chopping wood to match sticks.Jane was conceived one night when Sly was so drunk he mistook his wife for “two-dollar” whore and Ida was drugged to unconsciousness. Weeks later, Ida, unaware of the event, was stunned to learn that she was pregnant. She worried that her anger at her husband would somehow doom her unwanted unborn child.Jane entered this weary world with a congenital defect that was the result of incomplete genital, urinary and bowel development in the womb. Jane’s dealing with all the challenges incontinence throws at her is the heart of the novel.I will start right off the bat telling you that I had difficulty rating this book when I finished. So I did what I usually do when I need time to think things through. Pulled weeds and let my mind ramble for a while. As usual, given time, I find my answer. There were many contradictory themes- sexuality/abstinence, hate/love, anger/patience, poverty/wealth, community/isolation, male/female, self-sacrifice/abandonment to name a few to mull over.Other pivotal characters in Jane’s development were the loving family doctor, her older sister, Grace, and Jane’s one chance at true love (doomed from the beginning). Jane’s uplifting spirit strives and yearns for wholeness; normalcy as known by the rest of the world with the freedom to live openly and without pity. In her quest she discovers her freedom in nature where she knows that she is normal- normal for Jane and is at peace with that knowledge.Recommended reading for those days you need something quieter. Sharing the woodlands and trails with Jane will calm your soul.

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had ordered this book from the library as soon as I knew they were buying it. When Linda (Whisper1) also recommended it, I immediately moved it to the top of my TBR pile and read it straight through in one sitting! Jane is born with a rare birth defect that affects her daily life and those around her. However, she is highly intelligent and manages to become close to the forest and nature around her. She also has a wonderful friend in the doctor who delivered her. Dr. Thompson corresponds with specialists trying to find a way to help Jane. This is an interesting, almost old fashioned kind of story. Although, fiction, this was based on the author's Great Aunt's life. Highly recommended.

[whisper1_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a must read book. The writing is exceedingly marvelous and crafted in a way in which there is a steady rhythm of life in rural Mississippi. Miss Jane Chisolm is born with a rare genital birth defect. Unable to have children, sexual intimacy or a "normal" relationship, Jane is born with a keen intuition and very bright mind.Unfortunately, her incontinence interferes with every day interactions with the outside world, still she finds ways in which to draw people to her. Jane is conceived when her father had too much to drink and her mother is in a drugged state of laudinum use. Long past the age of joy in having children, her mother's despondency grows as she perceives the child as a burden. Her father loves her, but cannot express this. Her sister both loves her yet perceives her as a stone around her neck.The small-town doctor becomes her friend and mentor and the beauty of their relationship is woven throughout the story. Understanding the incredible personhood of Jane, Dr. Thompson grows to appreciate the exquisite beauty of Jane's internal world wherein she fears very little. As she grows, she exhibits a keen sense of nature, both of growing, living things found in the wood, and the internal personality traits of people which render them kind and sensitive and then bitter and moody.This is writing at its best!

[beamis12 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Third book I have given five stars to in the past week, so....... either I am getting sentimentally sappy (which I don't believe for a minute) or (there are some awfully good books being published), yep let's go with this one. Jane and Dr. Thompson are two of the most memorable and admirable characters that I have had the pleasure of encountering in fiction. Jane's characters is based on the author's great aunt and this makes her even more special.Early 1900's in Mississippi, Jane is born to a mother who thought she was done having children, who is mourning the death of the child born before Jane, and who conceived Jane in a less than savory way. Jane, is born with genital abnormalities, which will not allow her to ever have a normal relationship with a man, have children and she will suffer incontinence throughout her life. Dr. Thompson will become her mentor, her champion and the one who will attempt to guide her through these difficulties. This is one of those quiet, but meaningful novels, characters just trying to deal with what fate throws at them. Sounds sad, I know and it is that but it is so much more. She learns to love the woods, her farm, animals and nature. She has a personality that tries to find the good in everything, to make the best of life. Her family, the sister who at nine was given the responsibility of her and would leave home as soon as she could. her father, who loves Jane, but drinks heavily and would not, show her how much he thought of her until after his death. Her mother who barely copes. The prose, the descriptions, so wonderful. I was amazed that this was written by a male author but then again I think that gave it a special, nondramatic touch. A really wonderful book, was so incredibly impressed and so grateful to have met these two wonderful people.ARC from publisher.

[brainannex · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the days when doctors made house calls, a baby is born who is a girl but has a medical issue. As she grows, she experiences life as a girl/woman who has different expectations given to her because she can't be a "normal" wife. A quiet meditation on how we see and define ourselves.