Hanging Out With 'Olive Kitteridge'

Any book that wins the Pulitzer Prize and a zillion other awards is worth a read...and I must say, the title of "Olive Kitteridge" did nothing to make me want to read it. But when fellow reader Karen ("Sylia Plath") pressed it into my hand in exchange for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" I knew I would read it. But I knew, because it came from Sylvia, that it may not be "cheery."

We've all known an Olive, in our lives and small towns. She has good and bad qualities and we either like her -- or don't. Check. She has a complicated relationship with her older son. Check.

The genius of the book is that it is told in short story form. Some of the stories are from Olive's perspective, others are from those who know her. In short, we get that great all around picture of what others think of her vs. what she thinks of herself and how she perceives others see her. We should all be so lucky!!

At first I didn't really like Olive (the person) but by the end of the book I understood her a little better and was rooting for her happiness.

I would also recommend "Dragon Tattoo," and "The Help." I read Dan Brown's newest, "The Lost Symbol," and while it was a page-turner, I was disappointed in it, generally. Just too contrived, although it made me curious about the Masons. My father was a Mason and now I'm intrigued about the order.

My close personal friends on Twitter, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, both recommended "The Shack," so I guess that's next. On Tuesday there will be new releases by 2 of my favorites: Patricia Cornwell and David Baldacci.

Comments

[Lindy Beatie]

LOVED "eat pray love"...recommend it to all...OK - so get a new photo on your blog site, Dixie!!!

[Brittany]

Interesting... this book is one of those that keeps popping up. Sortof like Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love."
My mom's book club just read it last month! I wish I had time to read fiction right now, but I guess that is what beach vacations are for.

[Sylvia]

I hope you don't mean moi. I'm so cheerful!