Read Time:1 Minute, 21 Second
Every once in a while, I finish reading a book, and I don’t know how to react. All I can say is, “Hmmm…” Show World was a Hmmm… Book for me. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t exactly love it, either.
Show World tells the story of Samantha Flint, an aspiring writer and recovering redneck who finds herself at an all-girl New England college. That’s where she meets Mimi, an abrasive New Yorker (and aspiring artist). The story covers the three main parts of Sam’s adult life —her college days and early post-college life with Mimi in New York City, her career as a Washington, D.C. staffer, and her life in Hollywood, which is divided between AA meetings and big Palm Springs parties.
I flew through Show World, for some reason. Barnhardt places his characters in fascinating situations, which is probably why I stayed up much later than I should have, reading “just a couple more pages.” But, in the end, as I finished the last page and closed the book, I didn’t exclaim, “What a great book!” Instead, I just said, “Hmmm…”
Show World is a captivating book. Barnhardt creates interesting (though somewhat far-fetched) characters, and his smooth style makes it easy on the reader. But while the book may be seen as somewhat motivational—in a don’t-let-this-happen-to-you sort of way—when it all comes down to it, it’s just plain depressing. Interesting, yes. But depressing. I guess that made it just a bit of a let-down for me.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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