The Printed Page

Buffalo Gal
Web site for Laura Pedersen; Fantastic Fiction page for Laura Pedersen
Fulcrum Pub; release date: October ’08
307 pages
Memoir
Book provided by Authors On The Web

Admittedly I had no idea what to expect when starting this book. Her wicked, sarcastic, dry, self-deprecating sense of humor won me over and I absolutely loved it start to finish. Her descriptions of life in Buffalo had me picturing those poor children dressed to the nines as ‘The Michelin Man’ in miniature in the frigid winters. I remember the days of my mother stringing my mittens through coat shelves so that both were sure to make it home.

Though I had seen her name and recognized it from another of her books, The Big Shuffle, I’d never read any of her writing before receiving Buffalo Gal. Rest assured this will not be the last of her work I read. While there is a underlying seriousness at times, in the sections where she writes about Buffalo dying out as a prosperous city, for the most part this book had me in stitches and laughing along with her. She covers her life from elementary through high school and all the years in between. While we grew up across the country from each other we’re within 4 years of age, me being older. Her cultural references, societal happenings and childhood upbringing brought me back to my childhood. Though I didn’t have the pleasure of being an only child ~ I had an older brother, by six years, to contend with.

I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book. My only regret ~ that I haven’t read more of her work before now. You can be sure I’ll be downloading Play Money to my Kindle before leaving on vacation. I want to know how she made her million and secured a seat on the stock exchange before the age of 21.

The author interviews herself here

X-posted: Book Club & Book Publishers Blog