Adult / Memoir / Humor
I gave this book 4 out of 5 Stars
In
Pardon Me for Protruding and Other True
Tales, author Bolaride Jackson shows readers that in the world of a young
lawyer, truth is often stranger – and more hilarious – than fiction. Jackson’s memoir, told in short chapters that
stand alone but also connect to other chapters, brings readers a cast of
clients, co-workers, and kooks that are richly described and quite memorable. Set in times when those lucky enough to have a
TV only struggled with choosing from three stations, Bolo’s job as a lowly
associate in a law firm takes him around North Carolina to some of the most remote
counties, where his greeting could be a sassy secretary -- or a shotgun. All work and no play makes for a dull lawyer,
so be prepared to chuckle as Bolo navigates not only his career but the
dangerous waters of meeting and – pun intended – courting eligible
bachelorettes.
If
the title doesn’t give you enough of a hint that you are in for some fun, then
turn a few pages and you’ll know. Reading
Pardon Me for Protruding felt like
sitting around the table after a meal and enjoying stories from the good ol’
days. Author Bolaride Jackson doesn’t
take himself too seriously, and even as he explains legal terminology, he never
comes off as pompous or superior. The
story was very well written and speaks highly of Jackson’s skill with the
pen. Readers will appreciate the use of
innuendo to keep the stories clean and the writing flows like having a
comfortable conversation with a true southern gentleman. Jackson’s humor runs the gambit from the
obvious, laugh-out-loud moments, to the more subtle jabs at his profession. For
example, Jackson writes, “Like the military, law firms are in constant need of
reinforcements. Not because people get killed or wounded, of course, but
because lawyers become unproductive by retiring, quitting, or making partner.” Pardon
Me for Protruding, with
its Reader’s Digest-like, short, clean chapters will
delight its readers, who will most certainly pick-up the sequel.
I love memoirs, especially if they're funny!
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris
You'd probably like this one, then. It's just comfortable and harkens back to simpler times -- like listening to my dad's stories (he's 80 now). Let me know if you read it.
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