The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy was published in 1958 and is considered a cult classic. It's a book that I had never heard of until it was on a list of books that was for books most people haven't heard of, but need to read. So I read it!
The book not only has an interesting title, but a quirky main character. Sally Jay Gorce, is a young American woman who has a rich uncle. (Who I want to adopt or rather, I hope he adopts me). He makes a deal with her. If she goes to college, he will pay for her to travel for two years, all expenses paid; as long as she promises to come back to share her adventures. That's it!!! (Don't we all want an uncle like that?). Sally goes to Paris and takes us on her travels. Sally is someone I liked a lot even though she makes some unfortunate choices. She is a bit eccentric, especially for the 1950's.
While reading, I had to keep reminding myself that this book was written in 1958. It would have had quite an impact in the time, I think. Especially, since it is written by a woman. It is a bit of a coming of age or self discovery kind of story. It's part journal and part travel adventure. Even among the humour and quirkiness there are also some heavier topics embedded in there.
If you are looking for a different kind of read, this is a good one. The Afterword is worth a read as well to learn about some of the autobiographical aspects of the book.
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