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Lädt ... One Bird's Choice: A Year in the Life of an Overeducated, Underemployed Twenty-Something Who Moves Back Homevon Iain Reid
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Melde dich bei LibraryThing an um herauszufinden, ob du dieses Buch mögen würdest. Keine aktuelle Diskussion zu diesem Buch. Twenty-something Iain Reid was underemployed, broke and going nowhere fast, despite a college education under his belt. With few prospects, Iain decided to take a summer position as a weekly book reviewer on CBC Radio in Ottawa, Canada. The job also meant moving back in with his parents on their rural farm. Summer quickly turned into fall, and before he knew it, Iain was welcoming spring - still on his parents' farm. While his summer gig did turn into a temporary stint as an associate producer, that opportunity fizzled out as well. With no plans and nowhere to go, Iain passed the time with attempts at writing, helping out on the farm and learning to put up with his parents' idiosyncrasies all over again. I looked forward to reading One Bird's Choice since I thought I'd be able to sympathize with Iain's situation. I spent some time after college looking for my first job and trying to find something I enjoyed, so I know how difficult that in-between time can be. My high expectations for One Bird's Choice fell short and I had a hard time finishing the book. Time and time again, I asked myself, "What is the point here?" And that's just it - there didn't seem to be one. Much of what Iain did revolved around sleeping in late, watching TV, eating and observing the farm animals; somehow this was deemed significant enough to be written about. Even then, his writing was given very little attention throughout the memoir. I think that Iain's intent was to be humorous about his situation, but the execution left a lot to be desired. As Thomas Wolfe said " You can't go home again." Or can you? Iain Reid is 27, highly educated and highly unemployed. He accepts a summer job with CBC radio. But it really doesn't pay a lot....and his parents live very close by.....so the decision is made to move in with them for the summer. The summer comes and goes ...and before you know it - a year has passed. One Bird's Choice is the memoir of that year. What struck me first was Iain's descriptions of his parents, their conversation, actions and idiosyncrasies. The affection her feels for them is very evident is his writing. Never identified by name, Mom and Dad are the headliners in this book. They are quirky and slightly eccentric, but oh so comfortable with their lives and each other. I couldn't get enough of their everyday life. The common and mundane take on a whole new look. Mom and Dad really do live life on their own terms. Their rural property- Lilac Hill - is home to many and varied animals. The book takes it's title from Lucius - the last guinea fowl left on the farm. Guinea fowl are communal birds. Mom is relieved when Lucius chooses his new flock - the family. Iain - not so thrilled. The bird follows him around and makes him late for work many times. One Bird's Choice is divided into four parts, based on each season. Iain's state of mind and emotions during his year at home seem to mirror the seasons. Although definitive words such as depression are never used, his descriptions of not wanting to see friends, sleeping and eating too much and 'hibernating' populate the Winter chapters. But by the time Spring rolls around, Iain finds contentment in seeing the farm come to life, lambs being born and the simple joy in sitting outside in the sun. There was just one small sour note for me. I'm not sure if Reid was taking literary license in describing a scene with a hen reluctant to give up her eggs, but really Iain - not cool to punch a chicken. Nothing earth shattering happens in One Bird's Choice, there are no great aha! moments or epiphanies. Rather, it a slow gentle read filled with lots of humour, warmth and the realization that yes - you can go home again. Congratulations to Iain Reid for winning a CBC Bookie for Best Non Fiction book for One Bird's Choice. Zeige 3 von 3
The year that follows provides the narrative for Reid’s first book, a laugh-out-loud comic memoir with a cast of characters including a mom who suspects she may be allergic to her cellphone, an English professor dad who loves shredding redundant documents, and a fleet of cats, dogs, ducks, sheep and one guinea fowl named Lucius. What saves the story from being a typical fish-out-of-water tale is Reid’s heartfelt look at the foibles of being a family...Reid finds humour and warmth in unexpected places. Reid is a natural storyteller, and One Bird’s Choice is full of charming anecdotes and vividly described characters. But there is little substance here. Despite the fact that Reid spends most of his time unemployed, dishevelled, and bored, he actually reveals very little about his motivations for staying put....Mom and Dad are the best part of the book, by far. Their banter and idiosyncrasies provide pure entertainment, though they do come across as a bit daft at times Auszeichnungen
Meet Iain Reid: an overeducated, underemployed twenty-something who moves back in with his lovable but eccentric parents on their hobby farm. But what starts out as a temporary arrangement turns into a year-long extended stay, in which Iain finds himself fighting with the farm fowl, taking fashion advice from the elderly, fattening up on home-cooked food, and ultimately easing (perhaps a little too comfortably) into the semi-retired lifestyle. Hilarious and heartwarming, One Bird's Choice is an endearingly funny comic memoir that bridges the divide between the Boomer and Boomerang generations. Keine Bibliotheksbeschreibungen gefunden. |
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Google Books — Lädt ... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)306.874092Social sciences Social Sciences; Sociology and anthropology Culture and Institutions Marriage and Parenting Parenting Experiences of Family Caregivers Biography And History BiographyKlassifikation der Library of Congress [LCC] (USA)BewertungDurchschnitt:
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I hope you will read this book. For me, it was un-put-down-able. ( )