American Housewife

 American Housewife is a book of short stories written by Helen Ellis. There are 12 stories in the book. One story was about the best bra fitter south of the Mason Dixon line although that story was actually about his wife. Another story was about a woman who had a commission from the Tampax company to write a book which she puts off doing so long that  the editor has to take extreme measures to make her finish the book. Another story is about a woman who married a man whose mother is wealthy. In order to inherit her luxurious Manhattan apartment he has to be married. His mother dies so now the woman and her husband live in the luxurious apartment. In another story, the wainscotting wars, two women share a hallway between their apartments. The woman who moved in wants to redecorate the hallway. She wants wainscotting put up. The woman who lived there for years thinks the hallway is just fine. Both are determined to get their own way. The conflict gradually escalates to the point of violence. Not all the women in this book are nice. Most of them are unlikeable but it made for interesting and sometimes hilarious reading.