i started and finished Rachel Simon‘s book, ” Riding The Bus With My Sister“, over the long weekend. the debate on this particular story has been settled, in my opinion….the book surpasses the movie by far.
Andie MacDowell and Rosie O’Donnell both do a magnificent job of portraying the real-life characters of Rachel and her sister Beth. however, the inner monologue which is wonderfully hinted at in the movie is brought to the reader with the full-force of a private conversation.
Ms. Simon does not glamourize her character or justify her faults, she embraces them with a desire to understand why she feels the way she does. the unique imagery brought forth for the reader’s benefit truly caught me off guard. Ms. Simon has an imaginative and colorful way of making her point, and her instinct in that regard never missed it’s mark.
while it is an autobiography, it is also a book of life lessons and a roadmap of possible paths for those unclear of their direction in this world. i am certain that i will read this book again very soon….and very often.
for more information on the book, movie or this talented writer, please visit…. www.rachelsimon.com
2 Responses
I liked the book but had some reservations — http://silverseason.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/riding-the-bus-with-my-sister/. I did not know that was made into a movie. The depiction of Beth’s life was spot on for capturing another person who is very different from you and not well understood, even though you have been “twins” all your lives. The life’s lessons were a bit pat.
the movie was quite well done. i had actually seen the movie several times before finding out that it was a book. i suppose the life lessons are going to speak to different people in different ways….or possibly even not speak to them at all. for me, i think it was very much a “right place, right time” book. thanks for commenting. i’m going to be getting her follow up book, “The House On Teacher’s Lane” soon. i’m terribly excited to read another one of Ms. Simon’s stories.