For Those of You Too Lazy to Read

In 2005 I started a book club and it has become one of my favorite things. It combines several favorite activities, reading, drinking wine and testing out new appetizers - all things I consider myself a pro at. And while I do love my bookclub it does have the tendency to become more a drinking, snacking, gossiping night than a high-brow literary event - which I must confess can tend to get on my nerves since I'm a bit of a nerd, that coupled with my bossy nature, and I was not satisfied with the discussion time we were giving the books in our club, so one my friends had the fabulous suggestion of using this blog to provide a mini review of our books (I'm sure she's also thankful that this will hush up my complaining about our discussion quality as well). So here's a review of the most recent book we've read, An Unfinished Season by Ward Just.

In a nutshell the book tells a story of Wils Ravan a 19 year old boy living in what's now northwest suburban Chicago in the 1950s. The story focuses on his summer between finishing high scool and attending college. Wils' family is fairly well off but his father is a brusque man who's fight against the local labor unions and anti-communist views make a figure of some contempt. There is also the typical story of Wils parents who seem to be growing apart and living in entirely different worlds, although in a surprising twist later in the book several life changing events end up bringing them back together and they take that dream trip to Havana they always dreamed about.
In the meantime Wils spends the majority of his summer working essentially as a gopher at a local paper in Chicago, a view that most of his North Shore society friends find to be a vulgar job - that is - finding out the truth and printing uncomfortable stories that don't neatly compartmentalize into their privileged lives. Wils of course has a coming-of-age summer romance with Aurora Brule, a unique girl that he encounters at one of the endless debutante parties that summer. They spend an idyllic, if somewhat, exaggeratedly intellectual summer together, planning their futures, until Aurora's mysterious father, Jack Brule, commits suicide and the summer season abruptly ends.
Overall, I liked this book primarily for the tone that Just manages to create, especially when writing on Wils musings about, life, work, Chicago, music - I felt that it really captured the essence of what he was likely experiencing at the time. Although, not being a 19 yr. old boy in mid - 1950's suburban Chicago, this is admittedly a bit of a stretch. Being a native of the area myself, I also enjoyed the mentions of the North Shore and Chicago, envisioning what has changed and what's remained the same over the past fifty some years.
However, I'm guessing that the majority of my book club members will say that they've found this book a bit boring and difficult to get through. The story is not anything extraordinary but that's part of the point. Those looking for some epic story with a message will ultimately be disappointed.

Check back to hear what group's consensus was on the book!