Books Without Borders :: Riding the Bus with my Sister

Hi all...

I finished this book this morning.

It didn't impact me much - I suppose I expected more - but on the whole, it was very well written, which isn't surprising, as the author is a journalist with other books published. I found myself more interested in HOW Beth became who she was - the italicized flashbacks - than in her day to day life of riding the buses. I understand that Rachel was writing about finding herself too but I found her to be an unsympathetic "character" and her non-stop earnest wishing that Beth was something MORE (that is, more like the American dream cookie cutter) was embarrassing for me to read.

I've never had the opportunity to get to know someone with mental retardation. I vaguely remember a friend from grade school who had two such sisters, but they weren't allowed to play with Tammy when her friends were over, so I never seen them much - so that part was somewhat painful and very true about "the way it was done back in the 70's", however, those girls were very much part of that family in the sense that Tammy's friends weren't allowed to come over when the sisters were having a special day. I suppose the need to shelter and protect was foremost in that family...and I've not seen Tammy for many many years.

I find it heartwarming that Beth is so clear on her boundaries...so many, like myself, have had a hard time/still have a hard time defining our own and keeping our word to ourselves.

xoxo
lili

hi Lili

I have to agree

I read the book
it was well written

but it wasnt as much as... everyone (critics and reviewers) seemed to make of it.

great story
great characters

but I just got to the end wondering if there was more... left me feeling kind of hanging... hard to explain really
I guess i was expecting some life changing revelation from it or something

Yes, Lhia...I got the same thing - there was more hype than the book required.

What was almost disgusting was the importance put on money - which was the author's thing, she'd pointed out fairly often about how other riders would suggest a job (which would make her feel better if her sister did work) - when really, we ALL know that welfare moneys go to all sorts of people who DO work or are much more capable of working. Prostitutes, for example, are working and collecting welfare checks all over this city, and I'm sure, everywhere else.

Perhaps the hype was because in the community of published authors, bringing the "real skeletons" to center stage isn't the norm. I mean, "Bravo to the author, who came forth with all (or was there more?) the gritty details of her personal life and the lives of her immediate family."

Pah.