Life Isn't Perfect

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm in the minority when it comes to this book...at least amongst my friends. I enjoyed it. I think it's a realistic look at codependency and, while it didn't go into great depth, it showed how a son was able to break away from his mother's codependency.




I also thought it was a realistic look at how life changes as we move into middle-age and later. I thought several of the couples highlighted in different chapters were rather sweet, especially in how they forgave each other's mistakes and continued to love each other.




Life isn't perfect and I think this book demonstrated that well. More importantly, I think it highlighted how life goes on, even when it doesn't do so perfectly. I thought the ending was hopeful...even a crabby, codependent woman can find a reason to live life and find someone who wants to live a life with her.




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One, Two, One, Two

Since February I have been participating in a wonderful bookclub with some wives from base. We call oursleves the Biloxi Book Babes! It has been a blast. First, they are a wonderful set of ladies with varying backgrounds. Some of the ladies are moms, none of us are working in the career fields we would like, except for the moms, they are doing what they want to right now--which is great! We all love to read of course. We've read a variety of things and what I've loved is that is has brought intention back to my reading. It used to take me months to finish a 300 page book. Partly because I rarely had time to read, and partly because I didn't choose to do it as often.

September's book of choice is "Addition" by Toni Jordan. I absolutely loved it! The protagonist, Grace, suffers from an obsessive-comulsive disorder--counting. She has to count everything or her world is so off-kilter she cannot function. Grace is witty, attractive, and bound to her small world. Until she meets a man. Her world becomes off-kilter, but she able to find her way back without losing herself. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, so I won't describe it further.

I related to Grace. She's a single gal and when she meets this young man, she goes through all the thoughts and feelings that I went through when I was single. It brough back hilarious memories of conversations with Bethany, Marissa and so many other poor souls who had to listen to me.

I also relate to Grace when it comes to numbers. I don't love numbers as Grace does, but I do have some quirks when it comes to numbers. I eat everything in pairs so I can eat evenly in my mouth, one on each side. My friends find this hilarious. To a certain extent it's a choice, but if I don't, it does bother me a bit. But it doesn't hinder my living. I also prefer things in increments of five, especially when it comes to career lifespan. It bothers me enormously that I had to quit teaching after eight years and didn't make it to ten before leaving. I tend to bounce my foot in a figure eight when I have to sit for a great length of time. Not too many people know that. I've done it since junior high.

So there you have it. More insight into my life and a recommendation for a good read. I read it in less than a week. I hope Toni Jordan comes out with another novel soon.

**I should warn you, there are some sexual scenes that some may not want to read. It's not gratuitious and doesn't overshadow the main themes of the book, but I wanted to forewarn anyone who might not want that in their literature at all.