Review: Bodies of Water

Bodies of Water: I discovered I am trying to do things way too fast these days working on two new books this year. Sometimes it brings me exciting results, however.

Bodies of Water by Rosanne Cash (yes, award-winning singer/songwriter), enticed this normally non-fiction reader by its huge white title and famous name author. I never saw the tiny, uncapitalized words above her name in light gray on blue-black “fiction by.” Of course, this was a purposeful, planned publisher prank to lure busy buyers.

Halfway through the book, as I was trying to believe this was biographical, the editor in me said, This is can’t be. Only then did I see those faint gray words on the blackish front cover. Halfway through, because of Rosanne Cash’s poetic writing, I was both hoodwinked and hooked.

Why hooked? Sometimes somebody lets you come inside and be serendipitous with them within their story. That’s the beautiful gift I received from Rosanne Cash as I read her compelling book of unabashed honest streaming consciousness characters, story after story after story. For you busy, cut to the chase readers: Hyperion chose to offer this gift to you. Buy this book!

For those who would like to make a more discerning decision, I will share some of my exciting discoveries about Cash’s characters.

The nameless performer shares, I don’t know how to love myself out here and time has not been a helpful teacher in that regard.

Of Elsa, Cash reveals, She hated it when people told her not to worry. Worry was a very private affair, on a par with sex and religion.

Shelly says I do not court insanity, but I flirt outrageously.

The fact that Cash chose France and French settings for her stories add ambiance to the adventures.

Finally, I enjoyed one character’s New Year’s Eve ritual.

Good read? You bet. And all at once, as I did on a sunny Sunday while reading on my walk. A small book, only 133 pages with really wide margins; o]! Enjoy! Let me hear your thoughts and which characters spoke to you.