Do you ever pick up a book with great reviews that seems like your cup of tea and then not like it? I'm reading a book right now that I really ought to love. It got great reviews, it's about a topics I'm interested in - books and relationships - but it just isn't clicking with me. In fact, it makes me slightly uncomfortable.
The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe is the well written memoir of a man whose mother is dying of cancer. He accompanies her to chemotherapy, and as they have always done, they talk about what they are reading. Before they know it they feel they have formed a de facto book club, deciding what to read together so they can discuss it. The book reveals the remarkable life of the mother who is a high energy soul, traveling the world working to help refugees and making friends everywhere she goes. I would really like to be totally into the whole story, but it's told in such a matter of fact manner that's making it difficult to connect. These are interesting people, but I'm kind of bored by what should be a compelling read. It's terrible to say a son's writing about the end of his dear mother's life is dry, but it is. I feel shallow for saying it, but the book is not what I hoped it would be. Perhaps I didn't fully realize it was a memoir. Possibly I expected a work of fiction? It reminds me of a really long article from The New York Times. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think I'll be happy when I finish. If you decide to read it (or already have), I'm interested in your opinion. Do you have a different point of view that might make me take a second look?
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