Monday, January 21, 2008

20% Amnesia


Okay, this has been bugging me for a few months now. I can't remember the title of the following book. I checked it out from the library sometime after "budget cuts" at my school in June, 2003 and before I went to Korea in November of 2004. Actually, the time frame must have been pre-blogging days, or I probably would've written about it. I read the first couple of chapters but didn't finish before it was due back at the library. Here's what I remember:


A middle-aged woman lives somewhere in the US (one of those cold states, I think, like Michigan or Minnesota) with her husband, who is a minister. (I think. He might have been a doctor or professor.) One day, a young woman comes to the house for counsel of some kind with the husband and the woman serves her some kind of comfort food, like cookies and cocoa (couldn't swear to the menu, though). Then the young woman tells the older woman, "You're so kind and sweet. You remind me of Mrs. Santa Claus." The older woman is horrified by the comment, especially when she later does a mirror check and sees anew her plumpness, and her short, graying curly perm. (I'm sure about the gray, but not the perm) This is a catalyst. The woman goes on a crash diet, grows her hair out, puts some dye on it and divorces her husband and moves to Vancouver (or maybe it was Toronto) to start a new life. Her ex-husband and grown children think she's gone off her rocker.


Can anyone help me? What's the title of this book? Who's the author? I'd like to find it and finish it.

5 comments:

Bibliolatrist said...

I don't know, but it sounds like something I'd like to read myself!

raidergirl3 said...

I was just going to say the same thing - sounds interesting.

I love this line: one of those cold states, I think, like Michigan or Minnesota
or Maine? It's cold and starts with M too.

sounds like an American 'Shirley Valentine'

And you have to let us know what book this is when you find out.

lazy cow said...

Can't help, sorry, but I'd like to read it too!
PS. I know you tagged me for a meme ages ago, I will get around to it one day!

Jeane said...

Sorry, I don't know. Don't you hate it when you forget a book title? I've been trying to remember for five years a book I borrowed from my great-grandmother when I was ten (she liked it so much she stole it from a public library) No luck. This one does sound interesting, I'll check back and see if anyone finds it out for you!

PS: on LibraryThing.com there's a forum just for asking fellow readers to help you remember a title. You might sign in there and see if anyone knows. The group is called "Name That Book"

Anonymous said...

There is a forum like that on goodreads.com, too!