Book Twentyfour: The Dud Avocado

The Dud Avocado, Elaine Dundy



I have mentioned this book enough times here, so it seems appropriate that I am actually finally including it in my read list. But I did re-read it, as it was chosen for one of my book clubs. I'm not going to pretend that I wasn't a little hurt that most of my book-clubbers either didn't read it or didn't finish it, and the few who did didn't really like it all that much. Because honestly, we all know that they are bat-shit crazy for not loving this book as much as I do.

I mean, how can one not love a book about a young woman, our heroine, Sally Jay Gorce, who is spending a year in Paris (in the 50s) with the intention of simply living life to its fullest? Of course, she is naive and slightly self-centered (as most 21-year-olds are) and this combination gets her into a bit of trouble. But this book had me from the start, which finds Miss Gorce roaming the streets of Montparnasse at 11am in an evening gown because the rest of her clothes are at the laundry. And what follows is a slightly rambling adventure, one where the plot is not quite obvious from the start, where you follow her on her misguided quests and meet her ill-advised lovers and get caught up in some silliness and some seriousness, but all done with a huge amount of wit and humor and brilliant writing.