Every so often I like to keep up with what “the masses” are reading, embarking on a fiction journey worthy of third-grade prose and soap opera substance.<\/p>\n
That’s me reading\u00a028 Summers<\/em>,\u00a0the\u00a0<\/em>2020 beach book written by the dean of all beach book authors, Elin Hilderbrand.<\/p>\n I think my opinion of its literary merit is already clear, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t enjoy the guilty pleasure of such artistic slumming. The book is not without its amusing sections. And I love how the conflicts last only a few pages, like a series of rom-coms all with happy endings.<\/p>\n Case in point, when our protagonist (who, ironically, would laugh at beach books) meets an apparent Mr. Right at a Nantucket bar. (A few pages later it’s revealed he’s married… whoops!) Suitor discloses he doesn’t read much fiction,\u00a0 perhaps only that related to sports or history or other unwoke subjects. I should have known he was\u00a0not<\/em> a perfect mate when he admits his favorite book is David Halberstam’s\u00a0October 1964<\/em>.<\/p>\n Ha!<\/p>\n My<\/em> favorite book!<\/p>\n One of the funnier bumper stickers I’ve seen in recent years reads: “I’d rather be living in an Elin Hilderbrand novel.”<\/p>\n That does sound great…<\/p>\n though I’d probably be the bad guy!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Every so often I like to keep up with what “the masses” are reading, embarking on a fiction journey worthy of third-grade prose and soap opera substance. That’s me reading\u00a028 Summers,\u00a0the\u00a02020 beach book written by the dean of all beach … Continue reading