Kinky Friedman is a singer/songwriter (notably Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys), a prolific writer of detective novels, and a gubernatorial candidate (he lost in his Independent bid for Ann Richards' seat).
Now, in time for Christmas, comes Friedman's latest book, The Christmas Pig. It is the story of a king who commissions a mute boy to paint a nativity scene for Christmas. The boy, Benjamin, is painting in a barn where he meets a talking pig named Valerie, whom he'd like to include in the nativity scene.
So far, so good. I won't read it though. Publisher's Weekly wound up their review with "The ending is the saddest thing since Old Yeller." That's it for me. Old Yeller flat out ruined my seventh birthday. My Dad took us kids to see it, much to his later regret. I cried all day. I will never forget my little brother looking at me and telling me I wouldn't get any dessert (my own birthday cake!) if I didn't finish my dinner, which I couldn't because if was crying.
I hate to think what that implies for Valerie.
Never too late for revenge... 8*)
Posted by: LC | November 30, 2006 at 07:07 PM
Old Yeller I won't even think about. (Although I remember being as shocked and sad at the brothers' fighting as at Yeller's end..)
The pig will probably get eaten, though, it's what we do to Christmas pigs..
And Kinky'll surely be worth reading anyway? I've loved him since I first encountered the Lone Star..
Posted by: Scholiast | December 03, 2006 at 05:24 PM
READ IT!!!
Although the ending is truly the saddest thing since "Old Yeller", it's also one of the most beautiful endings you could imagine.
I'm glad I hadn't read the review first so I got the shock.
Posted by: Noddy93 | December 19, 2006 at 11:30 PM