Can't Tell a Book By Its Cover

My friend, Peggy, has just down-sized herself from full-time to part-time status. So everytime I ask her what her hobbies are, I think maybe I'm going to hear a new one pop up. But, no, she always says the same thing: "I like reading biographies."

That got me thinking. The only biography I can remember reading was the audio version of Dolly Parton reading her own story (Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business). It was a hoot, especially hearing it in her own distinct, childlike voice. But it was also very interesting. I found out, for instance, why she wrote Whitney Houston's cover of her song, "I Will Always Love You." I realized right then and there that you can never tell a book by its cover.

So I told Peggy I would really like to read Jane Fonda's autobiography, My Life So Far. All the reviews and articles I had read told me she was a woman I might want to know--not the same woman she was yesterday or years ago. Therefore, I chose her book for my long journey back to Hannover Sunday and Monday (24+ hours without the time change).

Oh my. I've only read the first 111 of 579 pages but can hardly wait to get back to it. What an amazing woman, I don't care what any Vietnam veteran says. She's honest, courageous, vulnerable, human, and finally coming into her own. Someone I want to be like. Definitely not a Monster-In-Law!

Thanks, Peggy, for whetting my appetite!