Fish-out-of-water tales are always high on our list, especially when said fish is gay. (A rainbow trout perhaps.)
That’s just the beginning of the exploits of George Hodgman’s in his hilarious book, Bettyville: A Memoir (out today in paperback). When he leaves Manhattan for Paris to visit his aging mother, Betty, he doesn’t count on becoming her long-term caregiver. And the fact that she lives in Paris—Paris, Missouri—makes it all the more delightful for those of us into a healthy dose of schadenfreude.
Though laugh-out-loud funny throughout, his life story deals with some very serious issues, including elder care, small town prejudices and facing a family that doesn’t accept his homosexuality.
It’s never too early to start gathering books for summer beach reads and this should be at the top of your list.
But be warned: A couple pages in and you’ll be hard-pressed to wait for warm weather to dive all the way in.
Bettyville: A Memoir
Out today in paperback
$11.78 (paperback); $16.63 (hardcover); $13.99 (Kindle)
www.amazon.com
