I was driving to some meeting last fall, I remember that it was cold and a drive but I have no idea where I was heading or for what. Anyways, I remember vividly listening to this guy describe his book and tell stories to the NPR interviewer and he was so funny I was laughing out loud, so much that my eyes were teary and I called my secretary to tell her to order the book for me from Amazon. The book was "My Heart is an Idiot" by Davy Rothbart. The book is a memoir of Rothbart's incredible life of freely chasing after love and wild ideas. Its amazing he hasn't been robbed or beaten up more. He's a 20 something guy so the language is off color and he freely describes some raunchy situations -- This would NOT be a Calvary book club book!!! But, if you can get past those parts, there are some lovely and heart touching stories as well.
For some reason, when I first got this book, I got almost half-way through it and stopped. I'm glad that I finished it because this last chapters are definitely his best. The chapter on his 9-11 experience of traveling by bus to New York to interview residents there was insightful. Another chapter, on a wrongfully convicted friend that he visits in jail and the description of how this friend maintains his sanity with music and visits from his mom is deeply touching. The rest of the book is funny, and lets you in on how crazy the search for love, intimacy and true connection can really make us in this modern world.
If you are up for it, Rothbart's book is worth the read for adults.
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