[stylist] Bees and Scissors

[Chris Kuell]

Vejas,

The Secret Life of Bees is one of my all-time favorite books. I'd definitely 
put it on my top ten list. In fact, I sent a copy to my niece last month to 
read while she recovered from a surgery. That was Sue Monk Kidd's first 
novel, and in my opinion, her best.

Running with Scissors is another story. I was a little taken aback last fall 
when I saw it on my daughter's honors English reading list. She didn't have 
to read it, but it was an option. I asked her teacher about it (my daughter 
was 15 at the time, a junior in high school) and the teacher seemed like it 
was no big deal. I won't say that the book doesn't have merit, but to me, 
and time has shown this to be the case, it's more fiction than reality. And 
I don't think you even got to the bad parts yet!  There are some graphic sex 
scenes that made me, a relatively imperturbable guy, squirm a bit.

Keep on reading.

chris