I had a restful couple of days in Austin, Texas. In between running on the Austin Hike and Bike trail, playing with my daughter and watching wild college football bowl action, I finished Senator Boxer's novel "A Time to Run".
Cross posted on my blog:
http://blueollie.blogspot.com
I finished Barbara Boxer's novel "A Time to Run". I imagine that it was, to a degree, autobiographical. I admit that I read the book over a 3 day period and it was hard to put down. But, in all honesty, it was populist-liberal-feminist melodrama. You've heard of "chick-flics"? This was "chic-lit" for progressive feminist intellectuals. All of the male characters were weak, (though one was ok) and all of the male conservatives were unethical, heartless people of low moral character. The conservative females had redeeming traits.
Nevertheless, I found it interesting that the National Review "review" of the book focused mostly on the sex scenes. I have to admit that I found some of these to be amusing. The horse sex scene was an obvious metaphor for rape and for the oppression and objectification of women. The "knee cap" reference I didn't quite get. The others, I did. Imagine that distinguished Senator knowing about sex!
My favorite sexual reference (way milder than the others) came from page 64 where the future Senator Ellen Fischer was hiking with her husband (and future congressman) Josh in the front and present friend and future political adversary (conservative pundit) Greg Hunter, trailing behind: " Ellen came next, wearing a yellow t-shirt and Levi cutt-offs, her back ramrod straight and her freckled calves surprisingly muscular; Greg brought up the rear, happy to watch the lithe swing of her bottom and the sturdy pumping of her legs."
In that respect, Senator Boxer knows guys, though I wish it hadn't been the villain checking out the future senator's butt.
Basically, the story is centered around Ellen Fischer, whose husband, Josh Fischer, died during his run for the seat of the rich, unethical conservative incumbent senator. Josh was giving up his seat in the House to run for the Senate seat. Fischer won the race and was in her first term, when the contentious nomination of a ultraconservative Supreme Court nominee (a Latina female from her home state and who was the dean of the law school from her alma-mater) came up. An ethical dilemma came up, and the book centers around the background surrounding this particular dilemma.
As far as the writing goes: the authors point of view comes across very strongly; it smacks you right over the head. In short, the book would be more presuasive to a wider audience if it were to make a few more demands on the reader and would set up the reader to come to their own conclusion.
A plea to Senator Boxer: "hey, how about a little more subtlety next time! This isn't campaign literature!"
Nevertheless, it is a fun read, and I can recommend it to progressives and fans of Senator Boxer. (as I am)