Big Fish

Book: Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
Finished: February 2009
Pages: 180
Challenges:
**Winter Reading Challenge
**New Author
** 9 for 2009
** Read Your Name
** Read and Review
** tbr 2009
** 20 in 2009

First Sentence: "On one of our last car trips, near the end of my father's life as a man, we stopped by a river, and we took a walk to its banks, where we sat in the shade of an old oak tree."

Last Sentence: "No one believes a word."

This is one of those books you hear so much good stuff about that you are afraid to read it because it is so built up in your mind. I really wanted to like this book. Really. And I think now that I have been finished with it for over a week, I am removed enough from it to think about it. While reading I kept thinking, what an odd little book. I kept thinking that I really didn't like the father, or the son for that matter, too much. I kept wondering WHAT was the point? Why was I so dense that I couldn't see all the great meaning and stuff behind the stories and jokes that were told?

Now, I think the whole point is just this: At the end of the day, we all want to understand who our parents really are. We view our parents through our *child* eyes and that viewpoint is rather limited and tainted. And, sometimes, our parents don't really want us to see who they really are---don't want the good things to be scrutinized too closely for fear of exposing the not so good things.

I can say that I am glad I read the book--one week out, after pondering it awhile. I think I will rent the movie and compare the two!