Jess

Common Drivel - Don't bother

Revisado: 12-30-13

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A story that doesn't reek with prejudice against single women and women who choose not to be mothers. Example: A comment about one of the sisters is that she doesn't have children, not because she's a selfish career woman, but because she couldn't have children. A selfish career woman? Uh... this is 2013. Career women are selfish? Really? Is Kris Radish not a career woman? If not, she's sure looks like one to me. Is she selfish then? Women have careers to support themselves and most often their families. What's selfish about that?

And the notion that women who don't have children are selfish, is ridiculous. I'd love for anyone to tell me one unselfish reason for having children in a world that's way too people populated and is dying because there are too many children already!!! What could be more selfish than adding to these problems? But also, is it selfish to have children because you want somebody to take care of you in your old age, or to have someone for you to love of to carry on the family name or to have someone who looks like you or any of the other reasons why people have children. Or worse yet, having children because it's just the thing to do or is expected. Mother Theresa didn't have children. Was she selfish? Oprah Winfrey didn't have children, along with Joan of Arc, Elizabeth I, Jane Austen, Florence Nightingale, Emily Bronte, George Elliot, Frieda Kahlo. Are they all selfish? Why aren't men considered selfish when they don't have children?

This book is just a lot of romantic crap about families and relationships - oh, yes they have problems, but everything will work out just fine. Really? Emma is the single woman, one of 4 sisters. All the sisters have awful marriages and their children don't like them. Emma is adored by her niece and is the backbone of her dysfunctional family. But get this! The sisters and her mom all tell her that she's the one that doesn't have a life - that she has put off having a life? Are you kidding me? She has created beautiful gardens and loves plants and has a peaceful life with lots of love. Her siblings are in constant chaos. Emma just wants to lay down with her plants and be quiet. But everyone convinces her that she should return the phone calls of some jerk that's recently tried to contact her who left her many years ago because she's missing having a life!!!! OMG! This book is straight out of the 50's - yes! the 1950's!! I have read all of Radish's books, hoping that any of them would come close to one of her earlier books - Sunday List of Dreams - which I really liked. But everything since has been drivel. I guess it's true that a lot of authors have one good book in them. I guess that's Radish. Okay, I'm done - with this review and with Radish. This book is silly, unrealistic and boring!!

What could Kris Radish have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Stop being a naïve romantic and get real.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Nicole Poole?

Yes, she was okay - exaggerated, I think, but not bad.

What character would you cut from The Shortest Distance Between Two Women?

The man on the answering machine.

Any additional comments?

If you want good women writers, try Fannie Flagg, Haven Kimmel, Barbara Kingsolver, Joshilyn Jackson, Christina Baker Kline - even Jodi Picoult.

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