A Most Uncommon Degree of Popularity by Kathleen Gilles Seidel was recommended to me by my best friend for 20 something years Amy, who has a daughter who is a Junior at a private school in Boston. But private or public, the book will make you laugh and cry, see yourself, see your daughter, see your school, see the craziness of our society, etc.
It is a quick read...good fiction. Describes so poignantly the phenomenon of girls and how mean they can be and how popularity can seem like the ultimate goal...and yes, how the moms want their kids to be happy (which in some cases means the MOMS are pushing them to be popular). Some of you may not have heard my take on popularity which is this:
If popularity is defined as having more people like you than anyone else and there are more unpopular people than popular people and none of the unpopular people like the popular people then aren't "the populars", by definition, unpopular???
Hmmm....think about that for a few minutes...and if it seems like a conundrum go have a glass of wine and then think about it. It will still be a conundrum, but you will have enjoyed a lovely glass of wine while thinking about it!
I e-mailed the author with my kudos for the book and she was kind enough to send me a very nice reply. And as a somewhat bizarre coincidence, Amy who recommended the book to me was talking about it to her sister-in-law who was visiting them and it turns out that Carol, the sister-in-law knows the author! Amy is married to Doug who is Carol's husband's brother. I remember being in Amy & Doug's wedding along with the brother and when it came time to figure out who got in whose car to go from the church to the reception, I went with Gordon because he had a bottle of Dom!!!! Carol wasn't at the wedding for some reason...pregnant maybe? And I'm not sure she knows I sped off with her husband because he had champagne...but that's as far as it went!
So, that is my first blog entry. Please give me feedback, share with your friends or whatever! I think that the next book I will review is The Ghost in the House by Tracy Thompson and from there, who knows!
Di
Lady Di,
Quite the blog you got going ...! Let me know when you get to an extra spicy and sexy golf novel about hookers that PeePa and I can both enjoy ...! Also, I was going to mention a book that Donna read just yesterday (yep, lounging at the pool all day, with nothing better to do) but our dog, Sheena, chewed up the book early this morning for breakfast.
Cheers, Harry
Posted by: Harry Wilmot | August 14, 2006 at 01:09 PM
Di,
Great review. I have it on my " To read " list. I think the populars are still popular regardless of whether the unpopulars like them or not, by virtue of being watched by everyone else. But your take on popularity is something to ponder and a great excuse for another glass of vin. Cheers !
Posted by: Shirley Phillips | August 14, 2006 at 10:37 PM
You are truly amazing and I'm so blessed to have you as a sister. Love you - LC
Posted by: Lin | August 18, 2006 at 07:09 PM
Hey Di,
Out of town on business....no wonder you guys have been able to stay together. Happy Anniversary.
Posted by: Ken Feldman | August 23, 2006 at 03:15 PM