Wednesday, January 5, 2011

"It was a hot, peaceful, optimistic sort of day in September."

I had heard nothing but good things about Elaine Dundy's The Dud Avocado so, even though I still had no idea what the title meant, I decided to make it one of my last reads of 2010.  Now I know what the title means but I'm not so sure about the novel itself.

This is the story of a young woman in the 1950s who has escaped her dull American life with a two-year fully-financed jaunt in Paris, courtesy of a rich uncle.  She does a little bit of acting but mostly a lot of nothing.  I hate to say it but everything from the lead character's name (Sally Jay Gorce) to her impulsive escape to the French Riviera bothered me.  Although I had heard repeatedly how funny this novel was, I can't remember laughing or even smiling a single time.  Sally Jay was not a malicious or stupid character and I didn't actually dislike her but I didn't really care what happened to her either.  When she got into hairy situations, I felt she never got more than she deserved.

If you've read this book, can you tell me if I missed something?  Did I read it at the wrong time?  Or was it just not for me?  I know I have a sense of humor but maybe not when it comes to lazy youths who feel entitled to have fun on someone else's dime.

Pondering the dud novel,
K


Support our site and buy The Dud Avocado (New York Review Books Classics) on Amazon or find it at your local library.  We bought our own copy of this novel.

3 comments:

  1. Aww!

    I'm still going to have to give this one a read though. I've read so many stories of the male "find yourself on someone else's dime" jaunt and loved them when I was younger - that I think the female version would be fun.

    (I also don't think I'm capable of saying "no" to an NYRB book).

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  2. The Dud Avocado reminded me of a writer I love a lot better, so I think that played a factor in my enjoyment of it. If it had reminded me more strongly of, say, Ernest Hemingway, my reaction would have been much more negative.

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  3. Lena - I can see why so many people loved this one but it just rubbed me the wrong way. I would love to hear what you think of it!

    Jenny - I can see that. It reminded me of entitled people I know which affected my enjoyment adversely. ;)

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