Nowhere Near Almost There
Title: Almost There
Author: Nuala O’Faolain
I love reading for holidays. Around Christmas, I choose appropriately wintery titles. For Valentines Day, even though I am not a fan of the holiday, I’ll read a short cheesy love story that I would probably otherwise not pick up. Earth Day in April calls for all things naturey and Halloween is for spooky-ness. So of course, once a year in March, I pick up whatever I have on hand that seems the most Irish.
This year’s choice was Nuala O’Faolain’s Almost There. It was a crappy trade paperback I got for free that I remember picking up out of a recycle bin somewhere and thinking, I would read that for St. Patty’s sometime. Memoirs are generally quick reads too, perfect for a weekend in March. Even more perfect, I thought, because I just finished Sheridan Hay’s The Secret of Lost Things and in the thank you’s Hay thanks O’Faolain. I like streaming my reading along these sorts of vague connections. Reading Almost There would be the most awesome St.Patty’s 2013 book, I thought, everything just fell into place.
Except not.
I am 29 years old. I may have not done as much as I would have wanted by my 29th year, but I don’t feel like I’ve wasted my time either. I have 15 years of experience as a Kung Fu instructor. I was briefly in a crappy band, my singing years better spent in a high school choir. I have waited tables, been an emergency bartender for an evening, become a “bra expert” at a lingerie store, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management. I am married, I have a child, I have worked in the book industry for six years (and have loved every minute of it) and done all kinds of book related jobs, and I am currently in the midst of publishing my first title. In all that I have been blessed to have the opportunity to make time for my reading habits, and oh do I love to read.
I’m not bragging… there’s so much I have NOT done (like leave the country, ever!); but, in my 29 years, I’ve been busy.
I am desperately trying to get into Nuala O’Faolain’s memoir, but I can’t. 30 pages in, all we have established is that she is an older woman who feels like she has accomplished nothing. She has no significant other, she writes a column but hasn’t done anything great in her opinion, and frankly… I just don’t get it.
Maybe I am not old enough. Maybe I see my world in a glass half full sort of way and keep trying to figure out why being famous for an opinion column in Dublin is a bad thing. Maybe I am sad that even though she delights in her dog, she is busier being sad about the way things ended with her ex. 30 pages or so in, I have decided that for this year, I am done.
I did, however, pick up one of her novels. I think I’ll try that next and come back to the memoir later. I like her writing, but starting off with her Low Point has kept me in a foul mood. I was all too happy to set it aside for M.G. King’s Fizz & Peppers and had no desire to pick it back up again. If that’s not a sign to stop, I don’t know what is.
Have you read anything by Nuala O’Faolain? What were your favorites? Where do you recommend I begin?
Gift Ideas for the Masses
Half Price Books has these fabulous little polar bear reuseable bags for $1.98 and all these cool odds and ends (like cards and calendars) to go with them. My idea: buy the bag and stuff it with goodies and put a big matching bow on the top. You’ll probably save lots of money (only buy one bag per person on your list) and you wont have to wrap a thing.
What I plan to do with the bags I buy (shhh, don’t tell my friends and family – good thing they don’t read this!):
Find a book at Half Price that you think they might enjoy, its Half Price – so it wont cost you much! Find a movie to match the theme of the book. Ie: if you buy them a copy of Atonement by Ian McEwan, buy them the movie with Kiera Knightley as well!; if you buy them a Civil War Coffee Table book, get them a documentary too! For kids, maybe get books that have Polar Bears in the story or on the cover: Pullman’s The Golden Compass series and maybe the movie to go with. Obviously, there’s still space in these reuseable bags. Bake some cookies, fudge, or candies (don’t know how, I bet Half Price or Amazon has a book on that too!). You might also want to add a small bit of artwork from Bryan Collins, he has small easily frameable prints for sale at bryandrinkscoffee.com. This will make these gift bags more personalized and family friendly – and you’ll still save lots!
