Losing
Mum and Pup: A Memoir ,
by Christopher Buckley (Read by the Author)
Christopher Buckley must be very careless,
since according to Oscar Wilde, "To lose one parent
may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks
like carelessness." And Christopher lost both of
his illustrious parents in less than a year. In this
witty, entertaining memoir Christopher Buckley invites
the listener into his heart as he bids his parents good-bye.
His mother, Patricia Taylor Buckley, died of complications
from an infection. In describing her, Christopher vacillates
between adoration and bitterness. Although her antics
take on the label of quirkiness in the retelling, they
must have seemed brutally insensitive to the young Christopher.
His relationship with his father, the "conservative
icon" William F. Buckley, was similarly two-sided.
It's apparent through the touching memories that he
recounts that he has a deep love and respect for WFB,
but he also describes hurtful comments and incidents
that continue to haunt him.
To say that this audio book is deeply personal
would be an extreme understatement. Not only does Christopher
describe in detail his parents' deteriorating health
in their final months, he discloses family situations
that are usually kept private. The sicknesses, deaths
and burial details of one's parents are not usually
something that can be presented in a humorous way, but
Christopher Buckley's skill as a writer makes it seem
natural and appropriate. In mourning them he shares
with the listener, not only his parents' greatness,
but their embarrassing shortcomings. One example of
Pat's outrageous but comical behavior occurred at a
party at their home in Switzerland. Ted Kennedy was
visiting and when he asked to borrow a car to drive
back to his hotel, she loudly exclaimed, "Good
God, don't let him. There are at least two bridges between
here and Gstaad."
Even after their deaths, Christopher continues
to marvel at his parents' love for and devotion to each
other. Although their marriage seemed contentious for
many of their 57 years together, they remained each
other's biggest supporters and defenders. This audio
book is both heart-warming and heart-breaking as Christopher
alternates between recollections of warm, humorous moments
and stinging, embarrassing words and incidents. Whether
listeners were fans of William F. Buckley and his wife
or not, their son's witty tribute to them is sure to
win Christopher Buckley new admirers for his amusing,
insightful writing and his entertaining narration.
Ruth
Mormon
6/19/09
|
