Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand is about three women spending their summer on Nantucket, and (since we were in Nantucket just a few weeks ago) I grabbed this book off my on-deck pile so I could read it while all the gray shingle-sided houses and narrow cobblestone streets were still fresh in my mind. (See photo below from the one day I felt up to venturing out of the house:)) The author cites actual streets and neighborhoods and restaurants and shops, so that was a nice touch. She even wrote about the little pharmacy where I purchased Chloraspeptic spray and a bag of cough drops.
In the book, one of the women has just been diagnosed with lung cancer, and, needless to say, that plays a pretty pivotal role in the story.
Cancer, damnit. It’s everywhere. I can’t even escape it in a seemingly light beach read.
Lung cancer. Leukemia. Worry. Brain tumors. Anger. Why? Siteman Cancer Center. Unfair. Chemotherapy. Acceptance. White blood cell counts. Oncologoist. Weird mole on my leg.
I feel like Russ in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation when he realizes Aunt Bethany has wrapped up stuff from around her house to give as gifts: “I can’t wait to see what I’m going to get!”
But I digress.
Vicki’s cancer kept me in suspense, not gonna lie. Having not ever read anything by Elin Hilderbrand before, I wasn’t sure how she might wrap that up.
I think I might go back to rereading some of my favorite books (not about cancer) before picking up another random read (and risking more cancer).
Tara Winfield / Writer, Reader, Realtor / 4851 Tamiami Trail N. / Suite 258 / Naples, FL 34103