Book Talk: The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing

Book Talk, is a new series of posts where I talk about the latest book I've read - so there will be spoilers!

The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, by Melissa Bank, is a collection of short stories that maps the progress of Jane Rosenal's life as she sets off from child to adulthood, generally focusing on her romantic relationships along the way.  I first picked up this book at Goodwill because I thought it looked interesting and I could afford to spend $1 on a book.  Then it sat on my bookcase....

One night I was having difficulty sleeping, so I picked it up and started blazing through it.  The short story style makes it easy to blaze through although I have to admit sometimes I had difficulties figuring out if the short story wasn't specifically from Jane's perspective then who the character was, and how it connected to Jane - for example one short story was about the people who lived below her aunt's apartment.

Jane starts a relationship with a much older man who is not only a fabulous figure int he publishing world but also an alcoholic, and she's happy with him.  He teaches her about publishing, how to stick up for herself as well as being in a relationship.  She initially is happy but eventually she realizes that he can't give her everything she wants and while they do a whole "on again - off again" dance she eventually meets someone closer to her age.  This is where she realizes, like a lot of women, she has absolutely no clue what she's doing.  My favorite part of the book was at the end where she was trying to follow this ridiculous rules and guidelines she read about in the book "How to Meet and Marry Mr. Right."  And while the guidelines are things women have heard before "don't act too interested," or "don't say love first" she eventually realizes that she's acting like she's in high school and the poor guy has no idea what to do with her.  Things go so much better once she ditches Bonnie and Faith (the fictitious narrators of "Meet and Marry Mr. Right"

It's a very funny, quick read about one girl's journey thorugh love and instead of being like every other story the short story style brings a different perspective to it, as does her relationships with an oder man to then follow a "guide" in order to find a guy closer to her age.  She's ultimately trying to discover how to be herself in a relationship and that's something everyone can relate to.

I'll leave you with one quote from the book:
"There is no stopping now.  Both of us are hunters and prey, fishers and fish.  We are the surf 'n' turf special with fries and slaw.  We are just two mayflies mating on a summer night"

Anyone need to borrow a fun and quick read?