Far Outside the Ordinary by Prissy Elrod all Made in America
I loved this book. The author s story is compelling and her style is easy to read. Fearlessly she let all of her laundry hang out for everyone to see, doing so while sharing her life s lessons with grace and loads of talent.
The story begins as this white southern housewife becomes wrapped in the arms of a black man she introduces as the Angle of Death , as he wraps his arms around her, she struggles to overcome the fear of losing her husband and caring for her teenage daughters alone. The story describes her transformation from traditional wife to single heroine and beyond, as her metamorphosis is happening she worries about her choices and what motivates her, while she attempts to save her family, hiring caregivers and leaning on friends to step over the boundary of ordinary.
After losing her struggle to save her husband, she no longer is the servant of the family and begins to embrace her new life as a widow with freedoms, a character she had never known. With her fear of being alone still lingering, suddenly a card arrives by mail from a boy, now man she once knew. The card is the beginning of a cat and mouse journey that takes her to a balcony many miles away from home and a life she could have never imagined when she met the Angle of Death .
My wife had read this book many times and I became addicted to the author s story by sneaking a glance from my wife s electronic copy. I read a few pages in the middle, then several from the last section. Those samples inspired me to read from the beginning to the end. Yes, I too couldn t put it down. Normally I am not a reader for pleasure but this book was unique for me. I love this author! So well written, at the end I became part of her story. I am hoping she tells all of us how her life turned out. If she doesn t end up in a Happy Place I know I will not be happy either.
By Brice McCabe