Calvin Trillin's short, beautiful book about his wife, Alice, made me laugh, cry, and envy. I read the whole book in one delightful sitting. It therefore feels very strange to write that I was disappointed. None the less, I was disappointed in Alice for not playing games, for not living to see her grandchildren born, for wearing heels too much and dying before she could help edit this book of Calvin's. I was disappointed in Calvin for writing a book that was considerably less funny than his previous works and for not having a much of a point.
One could very logically ask what was I expecting from a book by a man never much known for having points writing about his obviously much-loved and much-missed wife. I would still definitely recommend the book to fans of Calvin Trillin's works, particularly the Alice books, and recommend "Travels with Alice" or "Alice, Let's Eat" for reader's not already familiar with Calvin and Alice.
The envy, by the way, came from Alice (near death) commenting to her friends that Alice Waters brought roses from her garden in Berkeley to Alice Trillin's daughter's wedding. I have no great chef friends. I think I would like one and I just want to go to Chez Panisse sometime before I die. In the meantime, I had to console myself that Alice Trillin could not include anyone who had counted sunflowers coast to coast or written anything about prairie ethnobotany among her friends.
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2 comments:
I was feeling a little sad that I could not be your great chef friend. But the last line had me laughing.
Sunflower Spinner
Well said.
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