I read a book! Huzzah!

I finally got to read a book last week. An actual book that wasn't related to my academic ambitions. I had been hanging out to read an actual book for a few months. Even more frustrating, I had been hanging out to read a specific actual book - of which I'd been hearing no end of wonderful reviews.

So imagine my delight when I picked up the last copy of The Family Law from the Readings shop at the State Library. Literally the last copy - the man that sold it to me said they had been flying out the door - and I can see why.

I was lucky enough to meet the author, Benjamin Law, a few weeks ago. I've been reading his frankie writing for years (and more recently in Kill Your Darlings) so I did that awkward thing where you approach a person as if you are already friends - or is that just me? In any case, he was so charming and kind that it wasn't awkward at all (for me, *wink*). In fact, I developed a bro-crush on him, as in, I want to be related to him ... - and after reading his book I figure I probably could be.

Of course that's stupid, I couldn't actually be related to him, but humour me for a second; I too grew up in a migrant family, one of four kids (Benjamin is one of five). I too have an eccentric, superstitious mother and a father who is difficult to buy for and/or interact with. In fact, in every chapter of the book I was nodding knowingly, feeling an enormous sense of relief that someone out there, in the real world, had suffered similar insanities to me and had turned out okay - better than okay; successful, relatively well-adjusted and generally brilliant! Hoorah!

The Family Law is a delightful ride. There are tears; some of laughter, some of heartbreak. The book isn't in chronological order, so there is an excited anticipation at the start of each chapter; wondering where in the Benjamin Law time-line we are being taken. It is a collection of engaging stories that you could imagine someone telling at a dinner party - an intelligent, articulate person who has a knack for adding humour with every tinge of sadness - it could be to lighten the blow, or it could be to lull you into a false sense of security.

The picture that Law creates of his wonderful mother is so tangible it's as if she's sitting on the couch next to you, reading over your shoulder and asking you to pronounce certain words out loud. The whole book is full of "ah-ha!" moments (not so much the band, more the revelation) where Law just nails it in creating that one moment in time.  

Since reading it, I have been telling all my friends to read it. Which is interesting, because I have a mixed-bag of friend-circles; the indie-cool kids, the ageing rock-pigs, the affluent Baby-Boomers, the disaffected gen-x'ers, the Bogans, the LOTEs*, the spoiled brats ... and I have somehow managed to find something in this book that each of them would appreciate.

Examples; 

To my friend who has an Italian mother who speaks minimal English; 

"You'll love this book, Law's mother likes using obscenities inappropriately too!" 

To my gay friend who is single; 

"You'll love this book, Law does the numbers on exactly how likely it is that you will find a boyfriend!" 

To my siblings; 

"You'll love this book, you know how mum likes to remind us that she'll be dead one day?"

- You get the idea. Mind you, I don't want to loan it to them just yet because I keep going back to my favourite bits for a re-read.
 

You know what? I could go on about it for ages - just do yourself a favour and go have a sit-down with The Family Law.

 

* Language other than English