Broad Street by Christine Weiser

I was very happy to get a copy of this book!  Broad Street is about a female rock group, but actually its about more than that.

Our main characters Kit and Margo have both gone through some very rought times.  They love music and decide to form an all girl rock group – however, since they haven’t been “discovered” yet – they still have to live the other side of their lives – boring jobs, paying bills and dealing with families and their disapproval.

Why does it seem so much more difficult for a woman to be a rock star?  This becomes one of the main themes of this book.  While the male counterparts manage to do one show after another without any concerns for anything else, our main characters are struggling between convincing people (including their own families) that this is a good thing and on top of all of that, they also have to worry about money, jobs and ex-boyfriends.

This book is not a lighthearted romp through the rock star world.  It is an intense, touching and sometimes depressing look at what it takes (the commitment, the cold heart and the focus) to get to the top.

It is also a very interesting statement on the differences between men and women and how they are viewed – especially in this environment.

The writing was touching and I enjoyed the fact that the characters are well developed – with everything showing!  These are hardly on dimensional characters.

This was an enojoyable (if not frustrating) read.

A Broad Abroad in Thailand by Dodie Cross

A Broad Abroad in Thailand is author Dodie’s memoirs of her experiences and her life in Thailand when she found herself living there, based in great part by the fact that the man she was dating, at the time, and now her husband was transferred there.

First off, I have to say that this book was quite funny.  Dodie tells her life experiences in an almost “off handed” “oh shucks” way that both works well for the storyline but not so well for my opinion of her choices.

Cross will be the first one to admit the fact that marrying a man she was not sure about and then leaving her whole life behind and moving thousands and thousands of miles away with him – may not have been the healthiest decision she has ever taken.

Which is the part of the book that does not work for me.  Anytime Dodie details anything about her life in Thailand that includes her husband, I feel an almost palpable dislike coming from Dodie when she talks about her husband.  This made me dislike him in turn and wonder what the heck she could have been thinking about.

If I stick with strictly the stories that Dodie describes of her shopping trips, massages, pharmaceutical runs and general description of all things Thailand, I find myself thoroughly enjoying the book.

I think this would have worked much better for me if the story was Dodie’s alone – I am glad that she finally sees the light (a little late for this story) though.  I will probably enjoy her next memoir alot more.