BOOKS YOU MAY HAVE ACTUALLY HEARD OF WEEK
Today's book, "Frank (Sullivan's Island) creates a world in which aspiring writer Beth Hayes, whose chirpy internal monologues and quiet uncertainties make her easily endearing, is as much a character as the house she lives in. After graduating from college in Boston, Beth returns to the South to spend a year house-sitting her family's home, Island Gamble, while her mother, Susan, visits Paris."
Shallow thoughts:
- It's entirely possible dear readers, that you might be thinking right now Enough with the stories about people who live by the water. And if you are thinking that, well then, valid point. I do need to give it a rest - because I have apparently read more of those kind of books than I realized. I don't even like the water (other than reading about it, and I don't even like that all that much either) - I'm the person who always sits in a chair by the side of the water, reading a book. I guess I'll have to add this to the things-I-don't-understand-about-myself list.
- Shortly after sitting down to read today's book, I accidentally flipped to the back and saw the author's picture. And that's when the pressure started - because she looked so happy and nice, like the kind of person who would show up on your doorstep with a bundt cake if you moved into her neighborhood. Which made me start to worry about how I was going to write an honest blog entry if I ended up not liking the book - because I have a hard time insulting people who look really, really happy (unless of course they're wearing stone washed jean shorts, then they're just asking for it.) So I was reading along, hoping I would like the book, when the characters began mocking bloggers. And that's when I decided that it might be time for a good old-fashioned throw down (Is it weird that I just spent five minutes googling that to find out if throw down should be capitalized or not?) I guess mocking bloggers isn't the same as mocking my blog. Someone did that once, and I was dangerously close to reenacting that scene from Designing Women when Julia says, "We're taking this to the woodshed and one of us isn't going to come back alive." It might be possible that I'm too sensitive about this. According to the characters in this book, bloggers have too much time on their hands. Too much time on my hands? Why, I never . . . I don't have too much time on my hands, I use up too much time watching 18 Kids and Counting, having random discussions with strangers in message boards all over the Internet, and making fun of my neighbors clothes to have "too much time on my hands." I have a very full life. On second thought, the book might have a valid point. Then one of the characters goes on to say that if you have a blog, you're just giving people a chance to steal your ideas. She has a valid point dear readers - so I just want to take this opportunity to tell you, don't steal my inkless pen idea. That one's my idea - and while I realize that you would all love the chance to shout to the world that you're the kind of person who is amused by pens that no longer have ink in them - that idea is mine and I'm going to have to insist that you respect that.
- Favorite passage from the book, "But Allison had served her purpose. It always heightened the family's mood when there was one relative to throw in the fire along with some mesquite chips. The general consensus was that success had gone to her head and perhaps she really was slightly insane." - I love a good mocking session - it just warms my heart.
Now that the pressure to be nice is off, I can tell you dear readers that I didn't care for today's book. I didn't hate it - it was a good enough book to spend one day on, and by that I mean that I didn't feel like I was losing the will to live while reading it - and it would probably make a decent beach read. But it wasn't a really good book - it was kind of mediocre. And now dear readers, I'm going to make a solemn vow to you: No more living-by-the-water books. I promise.
