Haven Kimmel, author of A Girl Named Zippy — the best do-nothing memoir EVER — comes to Malaprop’s next week (March 9) to promote the paperback release of Zippy‘s sequel, She Got Up Off the Couch, and Other Heroic Acts from Mooreland, Indiana.
In a forthcoming interview with Xpress’ Hanna Rachel Raskin, Kimmel states her strong preference for her second memoir (the story of how her mother, Delonda, conquered poverty and depression to become an English professor). I disagree. While inspiring, the story of Delonda left me mostly indifferent. With all apologies to downtrodden wives trying to escape stultifying marriages to fulfill themselves, I have to say I found Couch a major downer. Zippy ends with the author’s broke parents conspiring to buy her a coveted Christmas gift. It’s an overwhelmingly poignant chapter that Kimmel executes without a drop of bathos. And while I can totally understand through Couch why Zippy’s parents’ marriage ended (what did that man do for a living?), somehow even Delonda’s emancipation didn’t soothe my sorrow over the disintegration of this so-memorably-rendered family. Feminists will hate me for this sentiment, I’m sure. I think, though, it has more to do with whether or not one’s parents have stayed together.
Did any other readers of Couch — specifically readers who come from divorced families — feel the same echo of loss?
— Melanie M. Bianchi, A&E editor
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.