Review: Buffalo Gal

Buffalo Gal by Laura Pedersen

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I couldn't finish this book. I tried, but, really, life's too short to waste it on books that don't keep you interested.

In the half of the book that I read, I got the feeling of nothing more than "man, this is meandering." She'd start a chapter talking about one thing, and two pages later be on a completely different topic, and you have no idea how or why she made the transition. As a friend emailed me while she was reading, "Wow, does she ever need an editor!"

Yes, it had some funny things about living in Buffalo, but it also fed into the stereotypes. Although maybe they weren't stereotypes in the 70s. Buffalo doesn't spend its entire winter buried in snow. Yes, winters are long, but we're not walking uphill in thigh-high snow to and from school every day. I understand the use of hyperbole. There was too much of it in this book. Also, much of the book (that I read) discussed things that were of national import (Vietnam War, energy crisis, etc.) and not particular to Buffalo. I didn't feel that needed to be in the book. There are others that cover those topics much better.

So, read this book if you want to have a giggle over some Buffalo-isms, but not if you enjoy a cogent narrative.





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