Thursday, February 19, 2009

Deflated

Recently, while putting in a late night at work getting ready for my big meeting, one of my friends sent me a YouTube link with the tag line “strength of women.” I was very much in need of a mental break so I clicked the link and watched it. It was a very touching little video showing a woman reading a story she wrote about the power of girlfriends…and pigeons (For those that have seen it, you know what this is. For those that have not, I don’t have the time to explain it.) After the video was over, YouTube offered other related videos from that same author, so I watched them too. I spent more than 15 minutes watching various shorts of this same woman, but now reading excerpts from her newly releases memoir of her life in general and her battle with breast cancer. I laughed and bawled all within minutes so I was sold. I pulled up Amazon’s website and ordered the book right there on the spot. I love to read and haven’t sat down with a good book in a long time…I was REALLY excited.

So fast forward a couple of weeks. Normal life has resumed and I get all jazzed about being able to start my book. It looks like it’s a short read, which is good because my days of being able to take an entire Saturday and read a book cover-to-cover is long gone. I picked it up, READY TO DEVOUR IT, and started on my way.

Well, I finished it last night and I’m left feeling a bit empty. Was it a good book? You bet. Was it great? Well…there were a few lines that in there that could be classified as those “ta da” moments in life that you know you’ll remember that line (or point) forever, I laughed out loud several times, I fell in love with the Green Man, but the ending apparently wasn’t what I was looking for. It’s like when I watched Forrest Gump and it ended with him standing at the crossroads? (Seriously, what kind of ending is that?! Arrrgh!) Last night, I was left with that same feeling. What a pisser!

Since several of my blog readers have recently read that same book, I’m asking you…what did you think? Is it me? Did I have this book built up so much from my excitement from the videos that there was no way it could possibly live up to my expectations? Seriously, it was still a good book. I’m glad I read it. But I’m feeling a bit deflated this morning. Thoughts? Comments?

4 comments:

mandyrhea said...

You said it perfectly. Some really morbid part of me wanted more "blood and guts" in this book. I don't exactly know how to put it. More drama maybe. It "is" a nonfictional book, so you get what you get I guess. I fell in love with Green Man too.

Kim said...

I guess since she's still alive, the dramatic ending hasn't come yet, more to come. I could relate with the "Middle Place" in life, between kids and parents and found it a nice read. I expected this book to be about relationships with women and found the focus to be on relationships with family.

Jennifer said...

Yeah, I too could relate to the "Middle Place" in life as well as loving, but complicated relationships so that sruck a chord with me. Maybe my letdown was because I watched her read the best excerpts on YouTube so I just expected the whole book to give me that WOW feeling. No WOW, but a good read nonetheless.

Jennifer said...

But also as a follow up, I have spent more time thinking about Greenie than I thought I would. How can you not love a man that calls a bed a fart sack?! Hope his dinger is okay...