The Burgess Boys

I almost gave up on Burgess Boys. I was a third of the way in and I wasn't feeling that I-can't-stop-turning-the-pages feeling like I did when I read Strout's Olive Kitteridge.


Then I went to see Strout in Houston. She was charming. Funny. Endearing. She read aloud from the book. She talked about how messy she is. She spoke about how she taught herself to write.


Okay. Let's give her one more chance.


Glad I did. No, BB is not OK. But it is close. Ordinary life. Characters who are a just-right mix of good guys and bad guys. Solid plot. Yes, a worthy read. But, be forewarned, it's no Olive Kitteridge. Just so you know.