Tuesday, August 02, 2011

First Paragraph -- The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship


Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the first paragraph of her current read. Anyone can join in. Go to Diane's website for the image and share the first paragraph of the current book you are reading.
Yesterday, I picked up The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship by Lisa Verge Higgins.
The cover shows the backs of four women facing the sea. They all have different colored hats on, which is kind of corny, but I've been thinking about friendship a lot lately, so I'm game for a book on women's friendships.
Here are the first two paragraphs:
When the rumbling Cessna heaved into the sky, Kate Jansen completely lost her nerve.
She seized the strap of her seat belt as the whole plane shuddered. Through the dirty window she glimpsed Jo and Sarah -- her two best friends in the world -- standing on the tarmac and shrinking swiftly into the distance.

I kept going with the opening and Kate is preparing to skydive even though she is afraid of heights. Why? Because her friend Rachel who died (don't know how yet) left her a letter with dying wishes that Kate go skydiving. The other friends' letters are a mystery so far. Why is that dead friends always have so much more wisdom than live friends. Couldn't this Rachel have helped her friends be better people while she was alive?
What do you think? Would you keep reading?

10 comments:

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

Normally this isn't a book that would appeal to me, but I am awfully curious now. Hope you enjoy it.

aguja said...

'Curiouser and curiouser' ... this sounds as if it could be a good book to read.

judi said...

oh yes, i would keep reading. friendship and sky-diving go together nicely. i've been thinking about friendship too; i like the title of the book.

Vicki said...

I'd keep reading. We live near a skydiving school and I love watching them. I'm afraid of heights too, but would love to try it.
Here's Mine

Just Me said...

I would read it because of the title Goodness knows I could use some wisdom in that area.

...but friends needing you to sky dive after they're dead...makes me think I might be better off not knowing what I don't know.

BonjourRomance said...

SOunds interesting, I'll look for it. Thanks for coming by today - yes I buy the premad noodles, I am definitely not that productive! ;)
Have a good week,
Mimi

Linda said...

Probably finish. Even if a book is only half way decent I usually finish.

Nise' said...

I am always on the look out for books about friendships/relationships. Enjoy.

Stephanie said...

I'll have to get this book. It sounds really good.

It kind of reminds me of a book I read years ago about a woman who died and left instructions for several friends to disperse her ashes - Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish.

Dream Girl said...

Having contemplated the possibility of my own death this past year, my thoughts did drift from time to time to what I would want as far as a memorial service (no funeral) and the parts that I would like friends of mine to play. I have to admit that sky diving never crossed my mind though. My ideas were rather bland in comparison. Hmm? Might have to rethink this one.

Cockadoodle Doo or Cocorico?

 We stood in the middle of the road, having walked together 13 miles that day and Claudine grasped my forearm. "Mais non! It doesn'...