Only You: A Memoir

Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Only You . . . relates Eileen Obser's personal experience growing up in Queens, New York--her doomed-to-fail marriage at eighteen to a nineteen-year-old boy from their candy store crowd. Eileen shows how two naïve, uninformed teenagers were influenced by social and religious pressures, to disastrous consequences.

About the Author :
EILEEN OBSER holds am MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Stony Brook University. She also has a BA in Writing and Literature from SUNY Empire State College. Eileen has written many free-lance articles, short stories, and essays published in The Washington Post Magazine, New York Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine, Newsday, The Village Voice, The East Hampton Star, Proteus, The Southampton Review, Coast Lines anthology, Love Alters (anthology) and other publications. Obser was born and raised in Glendale, Queens, New York and has resided in East Hampton, New York since 1975.

Review :
Only You is a poignant rite of passage story, one that stays with the reader long after turning the last page. . . She speaks freely about the sexual complications that occurred in her marriage and the difficulties of keeping her burdensome secret . . . Hers is a story of breaking taboos, all the while wondering why things have gone so terribly wrong. She emerges intact--hers is the healthiest of approaches: getting to analyze and write about life with all its surprising complexities. --Lou Ann Walker, author, A Loss for Words, Editor-in-Chief, TSR, The Southampton Review This gripping memoir has the earmarks of a good mystery, in this case, a very human and emotional one made stronger by its clear and uncluttered realistic prose. Obser's expert juggling of different time periods provides depth and resonance to the narrative. . .The context of Eileen's story is what gives this memoir its power. The time of the narrative, the fifties, is evoked with skillful use of popular references . . . and specific details about her personal life. --Laura Polla Scanlon, Author, Storekeepers, Professor Emeritus, Department of English, City University of New York In addition to a portrait of a marriage, the memoir works on other levels: as a vivid portrayal of sexual difficulties within a marriage, and as a detailed survey of pop culture of Fifties New York. The pervasive references to music and television are credible, evocative, and inspire nostalgia throughout the narrative. --Robert Reeves, author, Doubting Thomas A recurring device in the book is reference to the popular songs of the era, both the early rock 'n' roll classics like "Rock Around the Clock" and "Hound Dog," and the romantic ballads like "Hawaiian Wedding Song" and "Only You." The latter song, a Platters' hit, supplies the title of the book and also its greatest irony. This book is frank about sexual dysfunction, but not graphic. It is sad but not morbid, and in the end, Eileen discovers independence, self-worth, and the right to a bright future. --John M. Daniel, author, Behind the Redwood Door, Hooperman When a sweet, young blushing bride puts on a white dress and walks down the aisle, she fully anticipates a life of love, companionship and marital bliss. No girl ever expects her marriage to be dysfunctional and heartbreaking from the honeymoon on. "Only You" is a deeply truthful story that highlights problems most people hesitate to discuss openly - sexual mores and misunderstandings. Obser confronts her past and faces the confusion and disappointment of her disastrous early marriage with dignity and grace. I believe that her honesty will touch many readers. I also hope her story strengthens those who have similar experiences, but might think that nobody would ever understand. --Ann K. Howley, author, Confessions of a Do-Gooder Gone Bad