Mennonite in a Little Black Dress…by Rhoda Janzen
‘Once in a while a book comes along that makes you laugh so much you think you’ll choke. This is that book.
Not long after Rhoda Janzen turned forty, her world turned upside down. It was bad enough that her husband of fifteen years left her for Bob, a guy he met on Gay.com, but that same week a car accident left her injured. Needing a place to rest and pick up the pieces of her life, Rhoda packed her bags, crossed the country, and returned to her quirky Mennonite family’s home, where she was welcomed back with open arms and offbeat advice. (Rhoda’s good-natured mother suggested she get over her heartbreak by dating her first cousin - he owned a tractor, see.)
Mennonite in a Little Black Dress was a cult hit in the US where it spent 13 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Earning comparisons with David Sedaris and Justin Halpern (author of the hilariously brilliant Shit My Dad Says), this one book has transformed its author from an obscure academic into one of America’s foremost humorists. The combination of her unfortunate circumstances and her bizarre background is the key, of course. She mines both for intense comic effect - but also with self-deprecation, fondness and insight. She almost makes you wish you’d been brought up Mennonite. They are a devout but smiley Christian sect that the Amish broke away from in the 17th century. If anything, Janzen’s parents are a great advert for strait-laced Christianity: they are happy, no-nonsense and full of integrity. And they must have an amazing sense of humour if she has published this book and they are still speaking to her.
Janzen’s story has also been compared to Elizabeth Gilbert’s post divorce reinvention journey Eat, Pray, Love, and there are obvious parallels. Except Janzen’s story is both more self-aware and less contrived - and funny as hell.
My only criticism is that I wanted more, especially about Bob. But I guess that’s his story.’ from The Guardian.co.uk
$29.99 PUBLISHED: February 2011 Allenandunwin.com
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