Book Reviews
Being Dead is no Excuse
The Official Southern Ladies Guide
to Hosting the Perfect Funeral
by Gayden Metecalfe and Charlotte Hays
This is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. There are so many funny things in it that it is hard to pick out a favorite. One would be “Please don’t bury me in the new cemetery; I know hardly a soul over there.” It has many “funeral” recipes, and takes note of the Methodist’s propensity for casseroles … most often with canned mushroom soup! My copy was a birthday gift, and it has been loaned out to about three people so far. Right now I don’t know where it is. Many people I know have the book and agree that it is one of the most fun books ever! Polishing silver is funeral therapy! Whenever you see someone polishing silver, just ask “who died.” You’re just not “in” unless you’re hostess to a dead elite Episcopalian’s funeral in the Delta! With aspic and homemade mayo!
The Cat Who Went to Paris
by Peter Gethers
This was an interesting and entertaining book about a writer who unwillingly became parent to a cat but soon (of course!) became very much a cat lover. The cat is a Scottish Fold, and ended up traveling with him on all his business and holiday trips, even to Paris.
Some of the things he says about the cat trips are almost unbelievable — knowing that a cat has a mind of its own — and he makes too light of the litter box problem especially in an airplane. His opinions on religious topics were not germane to the story.
Heartthrob
A Hundred Years of Beautiful Men
by Donald F. Reuter
I learned of this book when looking for something about CNN’s news “anchors” and bought it on amazon.com mostly because it was very cheap. But I was disappointed: my picture wasn’t in it.
The Golden Book of Royalty
by Robert Golden
And, of course, there are several books, including the above, on royalty that I’ve read, and need to return to the owner. Yes, I do return books. Surprise. Two of them remind you that centuries of inbreeding (seemingly a royal rule) is “what’s wrong” with the current bunch! Seems the title of the person is more important than the person.
The Da Vinci Code
by Dan Brown
No. I have not read it. Will not read it. And growing weary of hearing about it. The life of Christ has been researched and written about — more than any topic — for centuries by the most notable and knowledgeable scholars, archeologists and scientists, yet to have a nobody (comparatively speaking) writer author these “revelations” was a bit creative, but to find that people actually believe it is incredulous. Actually, the author is smarter than many Christians because he — like the TV evangelists — knows that just mentioning Jesus will get the money rolling in.