It's an Oprah book. But that's not why I read it.
Every Sunday I scan the "New York Times" book section to see what interests me, and a story of four sisters does. Family, personalities, relationships, ultimately they're all that matter. You might be interested in the big game, business, but that never comprises your entire life, you're a person 24/7, with thoughts, you want to express them, and it's almost never appropriate in business, which is ultimately a competition. Family is not a competition, but it is.
Now for me the book was all setup until two characters speak on a bench. There was a connection. They realized they were simpatico. It resonated.
So what you've got here is a couple that's married, the wife is Type-A and she's got plans, it's all laid out in her head, and she tries to imprint her desires on her husband and...
It doesn't take.
So what defines success? Is it monetary, or personality?
The mother, Rose, married Charlie, her husband, because she got knocked-up. And she's resented Charlie ever since. He gets demoted at work, he barely brings home the bacon. But it turns out he's the secret sauce, the man who quotes Whitman, he's got a personality, he's 3-D, he cares about others, it takes a long time for his impact to reveal itself, but it's major.
And then there's the above referenced competition between the sisters. The hopes and dreams are usually in the first-born, they ultimately feel entitled. If you're in their wake, you're subsidiary, you find your own role in their shadow.
And the thing about life is it never turns out the way you think it will. Can you accept the twists and turns? Many people cannot. It's kinda like tech, be a Luddite at your peril, you're going to miss out. At some point you have to accept people's choices, or forgo interaction, and the latter can not only render a loss, it can be soul-crushing.
So do introverts have a place in this world?
Actually, introverts will love "Hello Beautiful" the most. They will connect. They want someone to peek inside, to understand them, yet they have a hard time reaching out for what they want. Then they find someone who gets them... We all want someone who gets us.
I mean you can live on the surface, but...
That's why many famous marriages end, not only celebrities but the people in your circle. From the outside they're gay and alive, smiling, going everywhere, but inside their relationship might be hollow, it's more of a business deal than a relationship.
This is not a hard book to read. And once you get about a quarter of the way through you'll barely be able to put it down.
Unlike Jenna's book club, Oprah's has an imprimatur of quality. And "Hello Beautiful" is a very good book. Will it be an award-winner? I wouldn't think so. But it's not a mystery, it's not a typical genre book. "Hello Beautiful" is about life. And you're living. And what transpires in the novel is not always expected, just like in your life right now.
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