Helpful Score: 13
I liked this book well enough. I got a little tired of the author trying too hard to be funny, with the constant quippy footnotes and all that jazz. It was funny, just overdone. For instance, you simply don't wear heels on a farm. Parts of it just felt untrue and reaching too hard. Kind of like her or her editor said "ya know, that's just not funny enough, let's throw in some chicken poop and THEN it will kill".
It's a fast read and it's great for light reading in bed when you've had a really long day and just need to escape for a while. And yes, parts are definitely laugh out loud. It was just missing something for me. I'm not even sure what exactly, some honesty or heartfelt-ness. Something.
Give it a read, it's funny, just don't go in expecting some huge thing of the city girl turned chicken poop lady ;)
It's a fast read and it's great for light reading in bed when you've had a really long day and just need to escape for a while. And yes, parts are definitely laugh out loud. It was just missing something for me. I'm not even sure what exactly, some honesty or heartfelt-ness. Something.
Give it a read, it's funny, just don't go in expecting some huge thing of the city girl turned chicken poop lady ;)
Helpful Score: 10
I realized why I didn't like this book much on p. 232 when the author explained, "I'm pretty sure he (her husband) thought that once the girl left the city, the city would leave the girl, but I'm simply incapable of making that kind of metamorphosis. In fact the reverse is true; I'm doing my best to Park Avenue this place up. You might say I'm on a mission to cosmopolitanize the country."
Rather than learning or growing from her rural experiences, the writer remains adamant that Starbucks is a need not a luxury. I think the book began as her blog, newspaper columns, and emails to friends, which I can see as being quite funny. It was when someone said, "you should put these into a book!" that the trouble began because I can't figure out her tone. Someone who is able to write and practice the piano daily must have some level of responsibility and dedication, but she refers to herself as a dumb blonde who doesn't listen to her husband, pays $25 to get her hair blown dry once a week, and lives on a farm for a year without purchasing a pair of practical boots. Are we supposed to like her?
I think she'd be fun to have coffee with (Starbucks of course!) because her tone is so conversational but reading her writing wasn't that rewarding. And, her parenting seems inconsistent. She volunteers in her son's classroom (a plus in my book) although she (pretends?) she can't understand the science. She bemoans the cost and amount of McDonald's toys piling up in her home which made me want to call out "just say no!" when she reports on her kids begging her to turn in to Mickey D's.
There's a nice chapter about the chemical basis of depression. This book got me through a plane ride, but I don't recommend it.
Rather than learning or growing from her rural experiences, the writer remains adamant that Starbucks is a need not a luxury. I think the book began as her blog, newspaper columns, and emails to friends, which I can see as being quite funny. It was when someone said, "you should put these into a book!" that the trouble began because I can't figure out her tone. Someone who is able to write and practice the piano daily must have some level of responsibility and dedication, but she refers to herself as a dumb blonde who doesn't listen to her husband, pays $25 to get her hair blown dry once a week, and lives on a farm for a year without purchasing a pair of practical boots. Are we supposed to like her?
I think she'd be fun to have coffee with (Starbucks of course!) because her tone is so conversational but reading her writing wasn't that rewarding. And, her parenting seems inconsistent. She volunteers in her son's classroom (a plus in my book) although she (pretends?) she can't understand the science. She bemoans the cost and amount of McDonald's toys piling up in her home which made me want to call out "just say no!" when she reports on her kids begging her to turn in to Mickey D's.
There's a nice chapter about the chemical basis of depression. This book got me through a plane ride, but I don't recommend it.
Helpful Score: 3
this book was a well written look into what passes thru a womans mind when she moves from where she is happy to where her husband wants to be of her own free will and then has to adjust. i appreciated this book imensley because i did the same for my husband moving from a big city to a village of less than 900 residents because he missed the small town life. and i had so many moments when reading this book that i just stop an thought "i had that exact same thought pass thru my head!" this book is a decent read and is a thoughtful peek into what women really are thinking when life gives them lemons and they are forced to make lemonade or check into betty ford.
Helpful Score: 2
this book was okay.I think the reason why I liked it was because of the numerous referrals to the area where the author was writing it from. I live in the area and I found it amusing when she mentioned them.
Helpful Score: 2
Awesome book! Susan is very witty, funny, charming and honest in this book about her experiences going from the big city to the sticks! You won't be able to put the book down and will definitely be laughing out loud!
