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Waterfall of Wisdom

I spent most afternoon and evening sitting by the window reading I Don't Know How She Does It. This book has been recommended to me by a number of mothers - single and otherwise. It's been a while since I've laughed so much reading. The main story line is about a successful career woman, mother of two with a precarious work life balance (or should we say imbalance).

Allison Pearson's eye for detail is remarkable and her prose as scintillating as her sense of humor. How could you go wrong with that kind of combination ? Being a single mother juggling work, child and tentative relationships within a twenty four hour day, I should have related most to the protagonist Kathy. Instead I found myself quite fascinated by the wit and wisdom of the Ravel playing, philosophy major minicab driver who famously offers Kathy a joint (which she accepts against her better judgment) so she can chill for a bit.

He has this fascinating theory that men are growing erectile dysfunctional because the women in their lives make more money than they do. He also has this charming story about a waterfall and the Roman general Scipio. He is trying to tell Kathy that there is a roaring background noise in her life that she is so used to that she does not even hear it. If she were to move far away enough from this metaphorical waterfall she would be able to hear it again. To me that was the most poignant moment in the book. He seemed to speak of my circumstances too.

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