Friday Flashback: Rec. #93: Children of God Go Bowling

I decided to start doing Friday Flashbacks in case you missed some early posts the first time around. You're busy; I understand.

What: The main character/narrator of Children of God Go Bowling is a woman named Shannon Olson. The author of the novel is also Shannon Olson, but you probably shouldn't read too much into that. The fictional Shannon is stymied by her own life in Minneapolis and half-heartedly looks to a few different sources for direction, including group therapy and her mother (the indomitable Flo). 

Olson's book is an irascible and wry examination of how people in their 30s can still have difficulty crawling completely out of adolescence. I also recommend Olson's debut, Welcome to My Planet (Where English Is Sometimes Spoken), but I think this sequel is funnier. Also, this title is better.

Comparable to: Not a huge leap from this to Julie Hecht. Or vice versa.

Representative quote: "The kindergarten teacher was perhaps my favorite; he was sweet, and perhaps because he was used to dealing with small children, he smiled and nodded encouragingly throughout our conversation." 

[Shannon's verdict after a brief summary of her recent dates.]

You might not like it if: You find the main character too self-absorbed. This is something she struggles with, too.

How to get it: Kindle-able and available from libraries or used booksellers. Probably not going to find a new physical copy of it, though.

Connection to previous Wreckage: Julie Hecht's Happy Trails to You was Rec. #6. Welcome to My Planet (Where English Is Sometimes Spoken) was Rec. #338.

[Originally posted 4/2/11.]