Bright and Refreshing

In this bright and intelligent book, we follow Edward Meopian from the age of 14 to 45 years old (1968-1999). His mother died when he was young and his father did his best to raise him. They live in Minnesota where his father is an encyclopedia salesman.

Edward’s father decides to enrol Edward in private school which Edward is very unhappy about. There are a bunch or rich snobby kids there and he finds it hard to fit in. One of the rich kids asks him what his father does and he lies and says, my father “is in publishing.” Of course his lie is found out when his father shows up at the school library to deliver new encyclopedias.

Later Edward gets a stepmother and younger stepbrother and then gets accepted into a university in Denver. He is anxious to start this new chapter in his life and to meet girls. He does get his first girlfriend there but it doesn’t last long. He graduates from university and wants to make it as a film director so moves to L.A. Reality hits him hard and he ends up having to work in a camera store to pay his rent.

When he ends up quitting his dead end job and has no money, his father suggests that he move to rural Alabama to set up a convenience store in the trailer park that his father bought. Edward agrees and enlists his friend Sagebrush to go with him. The two could not be more opposite but somehow they work together.

I could go on but I don’t want to give away too much. This is a hilarious and intelligently written book. The funniest part for me was the summer in the trailer park but I loved the whole book. Meeks hits all the right cords. His writing is fresh, intelligent and very witty! Also, being born and raised in Minnesota myself, it was fun to see all the references to cities and landmarks that I recognized.

This is Christopher Meeks first novel but he has written two short story collections that have been highly recommend by Wendy of Caribousmom. I plan to read these and can hardly wait for his next novel. The Brightest Moon of the Century is such a treat and I cannot recommend it high enough!

5/5

Thanks so much to Christopher Meeks and sending me his book and to Wendy of Caribousmom for sending him my way!