Friday, September 19, 2014

Gravel on the side of the Road, by Kris Radish Review

I received review copies from BookSparks in order to write my book review posts for the 2014 Summer Reading Challenge. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. #SRC2014


Yes, this gem fell out of my Summer reading. But, honestly this is a great book to read this Fall... or anytime of year!




A woman who worries about carrying a .38 special in her purse, nearly drowns in a desert canyon, flies into the war in Bosnia, dances with the FBI, tells Geraldo he shouldn't put guests in hotel rooms with rats and spends time with murderers, has more than a few stories to tell. Gravel on the Side of the Road-True Stories From a Broad Who Has Been There is a daring and revealing adventure itself. Beloved novelist Kris Radish returns to her non-fiction beginnings with her first book of autobiographical essays. Her writing career has spanned four decades and has included award-winning newspaper work, magazine features, a national syndicated column, eleven books and enough stories and adventures to fill up many more. Radish s talent for telling it like it is, sharing the wit and wisdom of a life lived mostly on her own terms and her keen sense of humor are highlighted in these stories some of them previously published, all of them offering a glimpse into worlds many never dare to enter. Kris is definitely a broad who has been there.

Grab your copy on Amazon.com

My Opinion

I think everyone is a sum of all those crazy, exciting and memorable moments in our lives. A good storyteller will be able to recount those times with vivid imagery and brutal honesty. Kris Radish delivered on both accounts. Having a life brimming full of memorable moments she decided to share them with her readers. I applaud her bravery for sharing her autobiographical essays.

What I liked most about this book was that it was easy to grab for a quick read here are there. Don't get me wrong, if you want to knock this out in one afternoon you could, but as a busy Mom building up my own portfolio of memorable moments I enjoyed the bite-sized stories and experiences. It was like seeing a tiny glimpse into the woman and author that Kris Radish is today.

And there is enough in this book to keep you laughing out loud and then chuckling to yourself for weeks! 

I love how her experiences made me think about how I would handle a similar situation. What if I was a night guard at a remote cabin when "Jesus" showed up? Or if I would have choice words with Geraldo or...just stare at his head. 

If you are a fan of Kris Radish, you will love to see some of her real life experiences written down. I think it gives me even greater appreciation for her other writing and great novels. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading her work before, this is not a bad place to start.


About the Author

Kris Radish is the author of nine novels and two works of non-fiction.  A former award-winning journalist, magazine writer, nationally syndicated columnist, waitress, worm picker, university lecturer, lifeguard and Professional Girl Scout—to name just a few of her past lives—Radish is also co-owner of a wine lounge, the Wine Madonna, in downtown St. Petersburg Florida where she hosts books clubs and special literary events with groups from across the globe. Her empowering novels celebrate female friendship, real life, personal empowerment—and naturally, the importance of celebrating life as often as possible. She calls her genre, Broads Who Have Been There, and it takes one to know one.  Her widely popular novels include The Elegant Gathering of White Snows, Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn, Annie Freeman’s Fabulous Traveling Funeral, The Sunday List of Dreams, Searching for Paradise in Parker P.A., The Shortest Distance Between Two Women, Hearts on a String, Tuesday Night Miracles and A Grand Day to Get Lost.  Her twelfth book and third non-fiction work, Gravel on the Side of the Road–True Stories From a Broad Who Has been There and her tenth novel, The Year of Necessary Lies will both be published by SparksPress in 2014.

Be sure to check out her website, http://www.krisradish.com/

Andrea
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