The New York Times bestselling author of The Girls from Ames
shares an intimate look at a small-town bridal shop, its
multigenerational female owners, and the love between parents and
daughters as they prepare for their wedding day.
Thousands of women have stepped inside Becker's Bridal, in Fowler,
Michigan, to try on their dream dresses in the Magic Room, a special
space with soft lighting, a circular pedestal, and mirrors that carry a
bride's image into infinity. The women bring with them their most
precious expectations about romance, love, fidelity, permanence, and
tradition. Each bride who passes through has a story to tell--one that
carried her there, to that dress, that room, that moment.
Illuminating the poignant aspects of a woman's journey to the altar,
The Magic Room tells the stories of memorable women on the brink of
commitment. Run by the same family for four generations, Becker's has
witnessed transformations in how America views the institution of
marriage: some of the shop's clientele are becoming stepmothers, some
are older brides, some are pregnant. Shop owner Shelley has a special
affection for all the brides, hoping their journeys will be easier than
hers. Jeffrey Zaslow weaves their true stories using a reporter's
research and a father's heart.
The lessons Zaslow shares from within the Magic Room are at times
joyful, at times heartbreaking, and always with insight on marriage,
family, and the lessons that parents--especially mothers--pass on to
their daughters about love. Weaving together secrets, memories, and
family tales, The Magic Room explores the emotional lives of women in
the twenty-first century.
