"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


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