SEXIEST PERSONS ALIVE

Sunday, May 02, 2010

do not disturb




Seriously


excellent

reading

in

progress.




For weeks now, I have been patiently pacing the floors waiting for my local library to deliver my hold request.

And Thursday?

Deliverance.

So now, after numerous distractions (volleyball game, two-night visit from mother-in-law, school carnival pick ups, sleepover drop offs) I am, to use a phrase I know the East Texas author would approve of, happy as a pig in sh*t.

If you are looking for a fascinating, disturbing, engaging, and inspiring memoir, or series of memoirs, which in my mind's eye is evah so much bettah, I invite you to read my absolute

favorite series by Mary Karr.

Begin with Liar's Club. Natch.

It's about her Texas childhood. Daddy working the oil fields. Momma working the bipolar. Both working the bottle.

In her words, "A dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it."





Follow Liar's Club with Cherry. Karr's adolescent years. Where she unwittingly follows in her mother's footsteps. Isn't it always the way? We're running away from our parents but running right smack into them at the same time.

And finally (oh hopefully not) the sequel to the sequel, Lit.

When I read Karr's memoirs, I feel as if she is sitting by my side, talking to me. An intimate conversation where I'm thrilled I've found a new friend who will tell-it-like-it-is. No sugar coating. No holes barred. Emotional, gutsy soul barings. The stuff typically reserved for the confines of a shrink office.

The way Karr describes her confused, distressed, approach-avoidance feelings regarding her mother is deep, from-the-core, inside turning out.

And her marriage to the wealthy, waspy New Englander. The same. The subtle twists and turns that can steer a married couple right into the ditch. And the way the hurts stick with us, "the shreiking fight or the out-of-character insult endures forever, while the daily sweetness dissolves like sugar in water."

But mostly it's her insights about herself. ""For me, everything's too much and nothing's enough." Yep. Especially when I'm reading her books.
All this to say I may be even less present in the blogosphere than my poor attendance record of late.

But I know you understand.

15 comments:

Kathleen Scott said...

A good book is the best vacation.

Jenn@ You know... that blog? said...

I agree with Kathleen!

Enjoy your read - and thanks for the suggestion. Always on the lookout for something new to curl up with in bed. Besides my hubby that is.

Mental P Mama said...

Oh! I loved Liar's Club. Have to read the other two...

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

I might just buy Lit--I've heard so much about it.

Loved Liars's Club.

Stacie said...

I am excited to read this. Thanks for the heads up. I am into American Gods by Neil Gaiman and that is one big mind... well, you know. It's good but very strange. Happy reading!

Tammy said...

More books to add to my "must read" list!

dkuroiwa said...

I totally agree with you on that whole "vacation" idea!! I'm about to go on one right now...for about 30 minutes!!

I have to check as I think that Liar's Club is in my 'shopping cart' over at Amazon. It takes "2-3 weeks" sometimes to get books so I'm waiting until I can get a few more books...you know...for the free shiping!

Christie said...

Oh, haven't heard of any of those books, but they sound fantastic. Will definitely check them out.

Anonymous said...

I like nonsense, it wakes up the thought cells. Fiction is a of the utmost importance ingredient in living, it's a procedure of looking at freshness through the awful outshine of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to chortle at vigour's realities.

therapydoc said...

Looks great, no lie.

Anonymous said...

Lovingly done is well-advised b wealthier than extravagantly said.

Rachel Cotterill said...

Wow, sounds like I should just tiptoe quietly away and leave you to it :)

Anonymous said...

Artistically done is better than comfortably said.

Anonymous said...

A man who dares to barrens anyone hour of age has not discovered the value of life.

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Linda

Hanna said...

mh, sounds as if I should get myself back to reading, too. Last book I finished wasn't too good, but this one sounds promising - thanx for sharing your impressions. Maybe I'll find time for it in between PhD-stuff (or when I'm finished, which better be soon!). ;-)