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Summer Reading Challenge: Gravel on the Side of the Road by Kris Radish (Chrissy’s review)
Gravel on the Side of the Road
written by Kris Radish
published by SparkPress
find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Goodreads
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Did I enjoy this book: This is a tough question for this book. I flew through the short stories in just over a day. (It would have been less than a day if I didn’t have other plans.) Did I enjoy it? No, mostly because the majority of the stories made me want to cry, scream, hide. That’s not to say there weren’t a few stories that gave me a smile, a chuckle, some hope, because there were. Did it have an impact on me? Absolutely!
I still have a deep scar on my knee from almost thirty years ago when gravel was stuck in my knee. Gravel from the side of the road where I wrecked my bike. That scar will be with me forever. These stories have left a scar on my heart, a scar that will be with me forever. This book is gritty. It’s real. Ms. Radish does not hold back, not even a little bit. These stories have impacted my life. I don’t think I will ever stop thinking about them. They made me remember a few stories of my own.
I know I didn’t live through anything close to what Ms. Radish has lived through. And I thank my lucky stars for that. Have I witnessed or been close to some of the situations that she shares with her readers? Yes, I have. I related to quite a few. I could never tell my stories as eloquently or as real as she has done, but I felt it.
My heart is breaking. My mind is reeling.
Would I recommend it: Yes, but be prepared to shed a few tears and have a scar left on your heart when you are finished. These stories will stay with you.
About the book: A woman who worries about carrying a .38 special in her purse, nearly drowns in a desert canyon, flies into the war in Bosnia, dances with the FBI, tells Geraldo he shouldn’t put guests in hotel rooms with rats and spends time with murderers, has more than a few stories to tell. Gravel on the Side of the Road-True Stories From a Broad Who Has Been There is a daring and revealing adventure itself. Beloved novelist Kris Radish returns to her non-fiction beginnings with her first book of autobiographical essays. Her writing career has spanned four decades and has included award-winning newspaper work, magazine features, a national syndicated column, eleven books and enough stories and adventures to fill up many more. Radish s talent for telling it like it is, sharing the wit and wisdom of a life lived mostly on her own terms and her keen sense of humor are highlighted in these stories some of them previously published, all of them offering a glimpse into worlds many never dare to enter. Kris is definitely a broad who has been there.
About the author: Kris Radish is the author of nine novels and two works of nonfiction. A former award-winning journalist, magazine writer, nationally syndicated columnist, waitress, worm picker, and university lecturer to name just a few of her past lives Radish is also co-owner of a wine lounge, the Wine Madonna, in downtown St. Petersburg Florida where she hosts books clubs and special literary events with groups from across the globe.
