by Paul Jury
Adams Media
Hardcover
This is a fantastic Summer read. We ride along as Paul Jury, a recent college graduate, drives systematically (yet aimlessly) around the lower 48 while trying to figure out this thing we all call life.
A book like this could easily be unreadable, especially from someone so....well, young. But Jury is a really good writer in that he describes perfectly what is going on in his head even when the reader knows he is fouling up. The inner dialouge is stellar, interesting and nicely-paced.
The angst felt by the author is typical for recent college graduates who have yet to fall into their careers. Made more difficult by a relationship with his girlfriend that he hasn't quite figured out, Jury is unabashedly honest to a fault. I can only imagine how the girlfriend felt reading the blog he updated as he drove on his madcap 48-state jaunt.
Jury encounters many frustrating events which turn into metaphors for learning examples: financial budgeting, relationship balancing, troubleshooting, time management and decision making. The books is chock full of humor and the author is skillful at making you feel as if you are riding shotgun on his enjoyable trip.
I won't ruin the final pages, but suffice to say that ultimately the author does finally make some long-delayed decisions. I recommend this book if you are looking for a low-key yet interesting adventure for a lazy weekend. As I said before, in the hands of a less-skilled writer this book could have been boring but I found myself pulling for the author to reach the goals he listed for himself prior to the drive.
No comments:
Post a Comment