Queen of the Road & a giveaway

Tim had a wonderful idea. Take a year off from his private psychiatry practice to travel around the country in a converted bus. Now all he had to do was convince his wife…

And so begins Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle a Husband and a Bus with a Will of Its Own. Written by the Tim’s wife Doreen (a self proclaimed Long Island Princess and fellow psychiatrist) Queen of the Road is the story of Tim and Doreen’s adventures on the open highway. At first Doreen is pretty much appalled by the idea (mostly due to the fact that there is no way she can fit all two hundred pairs of shoes on a bus) but is convinced by Tim to give it a try. Soon enough they are off, with a standard poodle and two cats in tow, on an adventure like no other.

Similar to a travelogue ala Bill Bryson (but written by a feisty, swearing psychiatrist) Queen of the Road is a very humorous, entertaining book about leaving everything behind and trying something new. The fact that the author didn’t really WANT to try something new gives this book a little twist throughout. It’s pleasant enough to read a book about someones travels, but when that person would rather be sitting in front of the tv in her own home than be on the open road makes for a pretty funny book.

I found that I have very little in common with the author (except for the fact that we both love Buffy the Vampire Slayer) but that didn’t deter from my overall enjoyment of Queen of the Road. Sure, I can’t really sympathize with a women who would rather be shopping for the newest trend is shoe-wear, but her tell-it-like-it-is style is kind of refreshing. There is nothing fake about the author’s writing and even if you don’t necessarily agree with her way of life, you can’t help but enjoy the book.  

Some of my favorite passages:

Myrtle Beach also astounded us by the plethora of swimsuit shops on almost every block. How many people, after all, decide to vacation in a beach community but forget to bring their swimsuits? Evidently, nearly everyone. And, as Time observed, judging from the number of topless bars, apparently a lot of them are men who forgot to bring their wives, as well.

Funny, right? Or how about this one:

We’re really not Disney people. I mean, Disney people don’t see the Guest Relations kiosk and wonder, “Ya think they sell condoms?” Disney people don’t purposely make outlandish faces on the roller coasters, just as the camera snaps a pictures (my favorite: pretending to stick a finger down my throat to gag). Disney people don’t scream, “Look! It’s a dwarf!”every chance they get, just for the satisfaction of knowing they’re in the only place on the planet they can do so and not get dirty looks. (Although Tim did insist on adding, in his best politically correct tone, “They’re called little people, sweetie.”)

Aren’t convinced that this is a funny book? Check out Nicole’s review over at Book Escape. You can also find out more about the author’s writing style by checking out her blog. Or, check on the link over at Booking Mama’s blog for a webcast where you can hear more about Queen of the Road from the author herself. If this sounds like the kind of book you would enjoy reading, then this is your lucky day! The publisher sent me an extra copy to giveaway, so just leave a comment on this post by midnight EST time on Monday, September 8th for a chance to win. For an additional chance, mention this contest on your blog (linking back to this post) and you’ll get an extra entry! The winner will be announced on the 9th. Good luck!

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