Between, Georgia

Being sick always seems like it wouldn't be so bad....laying around in bed all day, watching TV, reading books, eating chicken soup....and it wouldn't be so bad if you could do it when you weren't actually sick. When you are sick, none of those things are all that appealing. The TV shows aren't interesting when viewed through eyes bleary with tears. The chicken soup doesn't even taste that good because all you can think about is phlegm...something you never ever think about otherwise. I can even be crotchety about reading!

So, today I practiced my "Reader's Rights" and decided on page 64 of Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson that this book was not going to make the long haul. This book was recommended to me by my Mom. I'm sensing a quick intake of breath as you wonder, "Is she going to lance her Mom like she lanced Amy?" And the answer is a resounding NO.

First of all, she's my Mom. She gave birth to me, raised me, made sure I learned to type (for which I am FOREVER grateful) AND she may have picked my name for Christmas. Second of all, I know that we sometimes disagree on books and was frankly surprised at this recommendation because I thought she didn't like books about the South. But finally, I am just feeling too yucky to think of some witty, roundabout way to give my mother grief about this selection. Write it off to different strokes and c'est la vie!

One of the things that made me close this book before the page count hit triple digits was that too many characters with too many quirks were introduced too fast. In my fuzzy, congestion-haze I just couldn't keep track of them all. There's Nonny (see digression below) the narrator, her birth mother, her mother, her mother's sisters and her soon-to-be-ex-husband with whom she is still sleeping to name a few. Too much too soon for me.

I will leave it at that, but digress to tell a funny story. Rita (the one in the middle), Hurley's Mom, was working at the registrar's office at the University of Chicago. She came home telling her parents how strange she thought it was that so many of the students had the same middle name, Nonny. She went on and on about it until her parents decided to ask her to explain a little better. Turns out, there was a space for middle name and a large number of students had indicated, NONE.

With that I am turning to a comfort book until I feel better. I'm reading Comfort Me With Apples by Ruth Reichl.

Di 

Comments

[booklogged]

You sound like you feel absolutely miserable. UGH! Sure hope you get feeling better real soon.

[amy]

Note to self: only recommend books to diane right before she gets really sick.

Second note to self: arrange to have a christmas draw with diane and promise to spend over $100 on gift, then recommend book.

Third note to self: when time travel becomes available, bent space-time continium and give birth to best friend. Remind her of it before recommending book.

feel better!

amy

[el-e-e]

You know Joshilyn has a blog, right? And she's insanely funny?

www.joshilynjackson.com/mt

interesting, though, that you didn't care for Between. I've not been all that hot to read it. I liked her first one - raced through it - but didn't LURVH it.

[Bellezza]

You bring up an excellent point I've often considered myself: It sounds like fun until you're sick. When you're really sick nothing is fun. When not even a book is fun, you might as well be dead.

I hope you feel better by the way. :)