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The Antelope in the Living Room: The Real Story of Two People Sharing One Life
Welcome to the story of a real marriage.Marriage is simultaneously the biggest blessing and the greatest challenge two people can ever take on. It is the joy of knowing there is someone to share in your joys and sorrows, and the challenge of living with someone who thinks it’s a good idea to hang a giant antelope head on your living room wall.In The Antelope in the Living Room, New York Times best-selling author and blogger Melanie Shankle does for marriage what Sparkly Green Earrings did for motherhood—makes us laugh out loud and smile through tears as she shares the holy and the hilarity of that magical and mysterious union called marriage.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2014
192 people are currently reading
3335 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Shankle
24 books1,036 followersMelanie Shankle is a graduate of Texas A&M and lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband, Perry, and daughter, Caroline. Melanie began blogging in July 2006 when she started her blog, Big Mama. She’s also a regular contributor to The Pioneer Woman blog. Her first book, Sparkly Green Earrings, came out in February 2013 and debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list. Her second book, The Antelope in the Living Room, was released on February 4, 2014 and also hit the New York Times list.
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August 26, 2014
1.) Initially (whether that is when you got the book assigned to you or within the first few pages) what was your response to the book? What were your anticipations? Were you excited? Did you see this as a challenge? Explain.
Lauren made a special exception for me because I was originally assigned Accursed (one that weighed in at 688 pages and was one of the longest books on the whole reading list, fist bump to Liz F., Kristin, and Victoria) for the week after my wedding. So when she pulled magic editorial skillz and switched my book to The Antelope in the Living Room: The Real Story of Two People Sharing One Life at the end of the summer, I was beyond thrilled. A book on marriage the summer I’m getting married? A solid two months after the wedding hoopla so I can enjoy the book and focus on writing a good review? YAY!
Also, I knew nothing about the book and kind of wanted to keep it that way. I asked for it in a couple bookstores we ducked into on our honeymoon (neither had it but I ordered it from the second one because I do love a little local bookstore) and once the book arrive on my doorstep, I felt like the process of reading/reviewing this book was this exciting little package waiting for me. I even held off reading it a couple times, savoring the anticipation. (Which, in retrospect, maybe was put it on a bit of a pedestal, but I didn’t know that at the time.)
2.) Please give a brief synopsis without giving away anything.
This is a story about marriage. Lots and lots of stories about one particular marriage, the one the author shares with her husband. It’s purportedly about everyday instances that are easily recognizable in our lives and the author offers bits of advice that are supposed to be transferable to every marriage. The author does a good job of sticking to her material – this is about marriage and even though she mentions her daughter in passing, she really sticks to talking about her relationship with her husband and her experience as a married woman. (I found out after some light Googling (before I got to the reference on page 118) that this is probably because she has already written another book about her relationship with her daughter.) The book is chronological-ish and is told as if the author was telling you this funny story that happened to her the other day over lunch. The writing felt less like a memoir or a book and more like reading a bunch of blog posts back to back (which, after aforementioned light Googling seems likely as the author is a successful longtime blogger and surely adapted this book from her posts).
3.) Did you see any recurring themes? Anything that nagged at you? Anything that sucked you in and wouldn't let you go?
There is something extremely formulaic about this book. For one thing, it’s chock full of gender stereotypes and truisms about the way men and women just ARE with a little wink and a nudge as if we all agree with the ideal of the “perfect wife” and should laugh at all the ways she “falls short.” Some examples: She got seasick on a deep sea fishing trip with her husband on their honeymoon and the take away point is that she wasn’t the fresh beautiful bride she thought she’d be and wasn’t her husband just the best for not divorcing her right there on the spot? There’s a whole segment on how she “makes her husband do his own laundry” and didn’t she just dodge the bullet on that one? She pretty much says right there at the beginning that she married this guy she didn’t really know all that well for the shiny wedding presents. Yes, I understand that she’s joking, but that kind of talk is pretty dangerous for people who may not understand that’s a joke.
The other recurring gambit in the book was the constant switching from at times very funny/flippant stories about her life to all the sudden very serious direct quotes from the Bible mandating how we should navigate marriage. It sort of made my head spin to go from the cutesy trite “men are from Mars, women are from Venus” type stories to Bible quotes that can be proven by the anecdote in question. She has a very strong voice and some of the lines are really very funny, but mostly I just feel like she’s trying way too hard for reasons I don’t agree with.
The author is so self-depreciating it hurts. I bet she’s a nice person. I might even like to hang out with her. But the underlying message in this book was too close to “silly me, I’ll never be the ideal wife, thank goodness my husband puts up with my antics” for doing things that seemed totally reasonable to me (i.e. enjoying her own hobbies, splitting household labor in a way that works for both of them, vomiting while at sea). So if I ever met the author, I’d want to give her a pep talk that she’s not failing at being a human by not living up to the ridiculous standards of a traditional wife as set out by a Bible-focused culture. Really, she’s doing just fine.
4.) Whether or not you enjoyed the book, do you think the writer succeeded in telling the story? Were you left wondering anything? Any holes?
The author would probably say that God brought this book into my life because I needed to hear these stories. Her voice and perspective definitely got in my head and, again, some of her stories are pretty funny. I was not left wondering about a single thing because I feel like she filled us in about all the minutia of her marriage (while simultaneously relating it back to the Bible as an added bonus).
I will say that I think this book might feel dated extremely fast. There are a bunch of pop-culture references to things that are very hot right now and some of them are already starting to feel out of date.
5.) Did anything about the book surprise you?
Sure – that it wasn’t the perfect book about marriage for me, despite my high hopes. Go figure. Some of that was definitely my fault for building it up a little too much. I do think there are some good lines in here and some funny short stories for light reading, but I love me a narrative, an epic tale, a struggle. And this is not that. This is mostly pretty predictable lines that roughly say, “I did this thing and then he said that and aren’t we so cute?” Ugh. I was ready to shelve it by page 7 as I could tell this was just not my cup of tea. (I didn’t quit because I really like this blog and I really like books and I’m psyched to be doing a review but… I figuratively felt like I needed to take a shower after I read this book to get all the cute off.)
6.) Finally, did you enjoy it? Would you recommend it? Who should read this book? If you were disappointed or didn't enjoy it, tell us why.
As I have been none-too-subtle about during this review, I found the book trite, stereotypical, and cutesy. This was just not my kind of book. I want to give this woman a hug and tell her she doesn’t have to be the butt of every joke, no one can live up to the standards she’s set out for “wife.” Although there are some funny lines and stories for extremely light reading, overall, I’d say, skip it.
A couple other notes from my phone:
As a feminist long time reader of A Practical Wedding, and especially Reclaiming Wife, I found her full embrace of the traditional terms to be pretty off-putting. It read like a blog in many sections and not one that I would follow regularly.
I will refer you to Catlin Moran… "What do you think feminism IS ladies?"
Lauren made a special exception for me because I was originally assigned Accursed (one that weighed in at 688 pages and was one of the longest books on the whole reading list, fist bump to Liz F., Kristin, and Victoria) for the week after my wedding. So when she pulled magic editorial skillz and switched my book to The Antelope in the Living Room: The Real Story of Two People Sharing One Life at the end of the summer, I was beyond thrilled. A book on marriage the summer I’m getting married? A solid two months after the wedding hoopla so I can enjoy the book and focus on writing a good review? YAY!
Also, I knew nothing about the book and kind of wanted to keep it that way. I asked for it in a couple bookstores we ducked into on our honeymoon (neither had it but I ordered it from the second one because I do love a little local bookstore) and once the book arrive on my doorstep, I felt like the process of reading/reviewing this book was this exciting little package waiting for me. I even held off reading it a couple times, savoring the anticipation. (Which, in retrospect, maybe was put it on a bit of a pedestal, but I didn’t know that at the time.)
2.) Please give a brief synopsis without giving away anything.
This is a story about marriage. Lots and lots of stories about one particular marriage, the one the author shares with her husband. It’s purportedly about everyday instances that are easily recognizable in our lives and the author offers bits of advice that are supposed to be transferable to every marriage. The author does a good job of sticking to her material – this is about marriage and even though she mentions her daughter in passing, she really sticks to talking about her relationship with her husband and her experience as a married woman. (I found out after some light Googling (before I got to the reference on page 118) that this is probably because she has already written another book about her relationship with her daughter.) The book is chronological-ish and is told as if the author was telling you this funny story that happened to her the other day over lunch. The writing felt less like a memoir or a book and more like reading a bunch of blog posts back to back (which, after aforementioned light Googling seems likely as the author is a successful longtime blogger and surely adapted this book from her posts).
3.) Did you see any recurring themes? Anything that nagged at you? Anything that sucked you in and wouldn't let you go?
There is something extremely formulaic about this book. For one thing, it’s chock full of gender stereotypes and truisms about the way men and women just ARE with a little wink and a nudge as if we all agree with the ideal of the “perfect wife” and should laugh at all the ways she “falls short.” Some examples: She got seasick on a deep sea fishing trip with her husband on their honeymoon and the take away point is that she wasn’t the fresh beautiful bride she thought she’d be and wasn’t her husband just the best for not divorcing her right there on the spot? There’s a whole segment on how she “makes her husband do his own laundry” and didn’t she just dodge the bullet on that one? She pretty much says right there at the beginning that she married this guy she didn’t really know all that well for the shiny wedding presents. Yes, I understand that she’s joking, but that kind of talk is pretty dangerous for people who may not understand that’s a joke.
The other recurring gambit in the book was the constant switching from at times very funny/flippant stories about her life to all the sudden very serious direct quotes from the Bible mandating how we should navigate marriage. It sort of made my head spin to go from the cutesy trite “men are from Mars, women are from Venus” type stories to Bible quotes that can be proven by the anecdote in question. She has a very strong voice and some of the lines are really very funny, but mostly I just feel like she’s trying way too hard for reasons I don’t agree with.
The author is so self-depreciating it hurts. I bet she’s a nice person. I might even like to hang out with her. But the underlying message in this book was too close to “silly me, I’ll never be the ideal wife, thank goodness my husband puts up with my antics” for doing things that seemed totally reasonable to me (i.e. enjoying her own hobbies, splitting household labor in a way that works for both of them, vomiting while at sea). So if I ever met the author, I’d want to give her a pep talk that she’s not failing at being a human by not living up to the ridiculous standards of a traditional wife as set out by a Bible-focused culture. Really, she’s doing just fine.
4.) Whether or not you enjoyed the book, do you think the writer succeeded in telling the story? Were you left wondering anything? Any holes?
The author would probably say that God brought this book into my life because I needed to hear these stories. Her voice and perspective definitely got in my head and, again, some of her stories are pretty funny. I was not left wondering about a single thing because I feel like she filled us in about all the minutia of her marriage (while simultaneously relating it back to the Bible as an added bonus).
I will say that I think this book might feel dated extremely fast. There are a bunch of pop-culture references to things that are very hot right now and some of them are already starting to feel out of date.
5.) Did anything about the book surprise you?
Sure – that it wasn’t the perfect book about marriage for me, despite my high hopes. Go figure. Some of that was definitely my fault for building it up a little too much. I do think there are some good lines in here and some funny short stories for light reading, but I love me a narrative, an epic tale, a struggle. And this is not that. This is mostly pretty predictable lines that roughly say, “I did this thing and then he said that and aren’t we so cute?” Ugh. I was ready to shelve it by page 7 as I could tell this was just not my cup of tea. (I didn’t quit because I really like this blog and I really like books and I’m psyched to be doing a review but… I figuratively felt like I needed to take a shower after I read this book to get all the cute off.)
6.) Finally, did you enjoy it? Would you recommend it? Who should read this book? If you were disappointed or didn't enjoy it, tell us why.
As I have been none-too-subtle about during this review, I found the book trite, stereotypical, and cutesy. This was just not my kind of book. I want to give this woman a hug and tell her she doesn’t have to be the butt of every joke, no one can live up to the standards she’s set out for “wife.” Although there are some funny lines and stories for extremely light reading, overall, I’d say, skip it.
A couple other notes from my phone:
As a feminist long time reader of A Practical Wedding, and especially Reclaiming Wife, I found her full embrace of the traditional terms to be pretty off-putting. It read like a blog in many sections and not one that I would follow regularly.
I will refer you to Catlin Moran… "What do you think feminism IS ladies?"
February 5, 2014
I read this entire book today beginning the minute I downloaded it, forsaking all laundry and other manner of housework because I just couldn't put it down. I laughed out loud ALOT & got misty eyed more than once. Such a real book about marriage and all it's quirks and awesomeness. So many times while reading I got so tickled because YES BEEN THERE DONE THAT. I have been a blog reader for years and this book was like an extra long blog post where you just feel like you're hanging out w/ Mel swapping stories and discussing the latest episode of Downton Abbey and what boots to buy. Love love love this book. .
July 10, 2015
Honestly, I want to rate it a single star but, it wasn't that bad. Melanie Shankle just tries way too hard to be funny every other sentence. It didn't feel like a story, it felt like a bad stand up comedy routine.
October 26, 2023
I love Melanie’s take on marriage. There were some moments that had me laughing out loud and others that had me tearing up a little.
August 30, 2016
Full disclosure-I didn't finish it.
I follow Melanie's blog Big Mama, and I was under the assumption this book would be a sort of "how to make a marriage work" sort of book.
I know she's not an expert, but I thought it would be a humorous "guide" on how she's kept her marriage going.
It's really a sort of continuation of his first book, Sparkly Green Earrings". It's like a bunch of blog entries slapped into a book.
It's just not what I thought it was going to be.
It's funny sure..but I can only read 1 memoir-ish sort of book from someone and think..um, I'll pass.
She loves to use parentheses (and when I say parentheses, I mean every other sentence parentheses).
Like all the time (all the time). It bothers me.
I kept asking, what is this supposed to be about-and decided to put it down.
I follow Melanie's blog Big Mama, and I was under the assumption this book would be a sort of "how to make a marriage work" sort of book.
I know she's not an expert, but I thought it would be a humorous "guide" on how she's kept her marriage going.
It's really a sort of continuation of his first book, Sparkly Green Earrings". It's like a bunch of blog entries slapped into a book.
It's just not what I thought it was going to be.
It's funny sure..but I can only read 1 memoir-ish sort of book from someone and think..um, I'll pass.
She loves to use parentheses (and when I say parentheses, I mean every other sentence parentheses).
Like all the time (all the time). It bothers me.
I kept asking, what is this supposed to be about-and decided to put it down.
March 31, 2020
4.8 stars
I was DYING of laughter throughout the entire thing. I adore Melanie and her approachable brand of humor. This is what marriage is really like, y'all.
I was DYING of laughter throughout the entire thing. I adore Melanie and her approachable brand of humor. This is what marriage is really like, y'all.
January 23, 2015
There are so many things I love about Melanie Shankel’s writing. One thing is her complete honesty and hilarious commentary throughout the book. But another thing is her variety of TV show and movie comparisons and comments! It actually feels like you are reading a book by one of your closest friends complete with all of her innermost thoughts whether they are serious or funny or sarcastic! And I LOVE sarcasm!
Melanie and Perry have been married 16 years and either she kept an incredible diary, she has an amazing memory or she is just talented at recreating the most emotional and hilarious moments from their married life. This was the funniest book I have ever read. I seriously was laughing so much that the book took me twice as long to read because I would have to stop reading to control my laughter at least every two to three pages!
(I just spend the evening reading some of my favorite parts out loud to my husband and he was laughing too!)
I love that she wrote a book about real marriage. The good times and the bad. The funny and sad. The easy and hard. She didn’t sugar coat anything. It wasn’t a cheesy or corny book about love. It was the honest to goodness truth about marriage…and the antelope on the living room wall!
On the serious side of things I really appreciate that multiple times throughout the book she refers to marriage as a commitment. She also makes it very clear that it is for forever and that there are no “outs” or shortcuts. I love this. In the world we live in today divorce seems to be everyone’s answer to the “irreconcilable differences” in their lives and I love that this book doesn’t talk like that.
I love the stories like the time that Melanie saw a snake on the back porch and screamed and all Perry did was ask what kind it was!
Also, Melanie and her husband learned something that my husband and I knew before we even got married: “the key to a good night’s sleep was that we never share covers” It is just easier to have your own
Oh and her name for her husband’s favorite store: “cheaper than dirt!” made me laugh EACH and EVERY time I read it!
One of my favorite paragraphs:
“In a lot of ways home improvement is like marriage. It’s not glamorous. It can take a lot of hard work and effort. There are days it feels like it might be easier to burn the whole thing to the ground and start all over again. Then you remember how much you love the house or your husband and you recommit yourself to what it takes to see the whole thing through.”
I have a lot more favorite parts but really you should just read the book for yourself. I just finished reading it for a second time. I rarely read a book twice to write a review. But this book was THAT good!
Melanie and Perry have been married 16 years and either she kept an incredible diary, she has an amazing memory or she is just talented at recreating the most emotional and hilarious moments from their married life. This was the funniest book I have ever read. I seriously was laughing so much that the book took me twice as long to read because I would have to stop reading to control my laughter at least every two to three pages!
(I just spend the evening reading some of my favorite parts out loud to my husband and he was laughing too!)
I love that she wrote a book about real marriage. The good times and the bad. The funny and sad. The easy and hard. She didn’t sugar coat anything. It wasn’t a cheesy or corny book about love. It was the honest to goodness truth about marriage…and the antelope on the living room wall!
On the serious side of things I really appreciate that multiple times throughout the book she refers to marriage as a commitment. She also makes it very clear that it is for forever and that there are no “outs” or shortcuts. I love this. In the world we live in today divorce seems to be everyone’s answer to the “irreconcilable differences” in their lives and I love that this book doesn’t talk like that.
I love the stories like the time that Melanie saw a snake on the back porch and screamed and all Perry did was ask what kind it was!
Also, Melanie and her husband learned something that my husband and I knew before we even got married: “the key to a good night’s sleep was that we never share covers” It is just easier to have your own
Oh and her name for her husband’s favorite store: “cheaper than dirt!” made me laugh EACH and EVERY time I read it!
One of my favorite paragraphs:
“In a lot of ways home improvement is like marriage. It’s not glamorous. It can take a lot of hard work and effort. There are days it feels like it might be easier to burn the whole thing to the ground and start all over again. Then you remember how much you love the house or your husband and you recommit yourself to what it takes to see the whole thing through.”
I have a lot more favorite parts but really you should just read the book for yourself. I just finished reading it for a second time. I rarely read a book twice to write a review. But this book was THAT good!
July 25, 2014
When you finish a book in less than 24 hours while also watching your children solo for most of those hours, you just have to give it five stars, right? I thought this was funnier than Sparkly Green Earrings (her first book) and I laughed out loud several times. I probably shouldn't give it five stars because it isn't like it is a brilliant book... But it was just so darn satisfying. Not to mention, Shankle also managed to bring in some really important reminders of what makes a Christian marriage work. There was even one almost weep-worthy anecdote... but I didn't cry during The Fault in our Stars so it didn't quite work on me the way I suspect it would work on, say, my mom.
April 7, 2021
This book was a quick funny read. I loved the authors personality and jokes. She explains what marriage is really like perfectly! Good honest read
January 22, 2021
Still one of my favorites!❤
May 24, 2016
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. Shankle has humor and occasionally a vivid style. In the end, though, the book seemed uneven and a little juvenile. It read much like a blog about married life might read, but it failed to carry much of a point. Some chapters had a "moral", others just left me sort of baffled. Church/scriptural references were tossed in and occasionally written about, but then other portions of the book failed to reflect much of a mature moral compass. It wasn't great, it wasn't terrible, it just wasn't enough of anything to be memorable or even particularly worthwhile.
January 23, 2016
You need to be married for a while to appreciate the humor in this book. I think this author is really funny and this has been my favorite book so far. The chapter about Dave Ramsey is especially great as my husband constantly tries to get me on board with his financial peace program. (I am at peace with the way our finances work now, so he is out of luck). I also loved the Chick-fil-a reference as in "life is not worth living" if chick-fil-a goes out of business. This is a quick and easy read, perfect for a snow day!
April 28, 2024
The writing style feels like a standup comedy sketch where every word matters & the punchlines land the same. While some of it gets a bit repetitive, it has such a down-to-earth and relatable feel—like talking with a good friend. I loved how sweet, open, and honest she is about the realities of her marriage and how earnestly she celebrates a good, normal life 🤍
September 5, 2017
Another great read from Melanie Shankle. Ordering "Nobody's Cuter than you" immediately. Melanie summed up marriage and made all of us with what we think are imperfect marriages realize that they are perfect for us and handpicked and orchestrated by the big man upstairs!!!
July 29, 2017
3.5, I enjoy her writing very much, especially for in-between "pallet cleansers." This wasn't my favorite though but still easy and fast to read.
July 1, 2018
While everyone previously thought that Jen Hatmaker invented the "Christian humor" category, Melanie Shankle has been blogging and writing books that are EXTREMELY funny, honest and encouraging to read. This collection of essays works as an encouraging collection on the highs (and lows) of married life. I loved it.
April 15, 2019
Laugh out loud funny
July 31, 2019
This book is just great-I enjoyed it so much more than the Church of Small Things. This is funny, real, and completely relatable.
January 4, 2020
Cute book about the life of a married couple and some of the ups and downs they experienced throughout their relationship.
April 2, 2024
I love melanie & not sure how I hadn't listened to this one yet. I wish I had listened to it a decade ago, but it still was fun and relatable!
October 19, 2019
Still waiting and hoping that Psalm 68:6 will come true for me and my daughter. Loved every second of this book.
August 16, 2017
LOLOLOL @ pocket hose! I made my husband listen to that part! I laughed thru the whole book! OUTLOUD!
August 29, 2024
Cute, funny, and relatable. I loved all of her references to A&M and San Antonio.
January 26, 2020
What a delightful, wonderful, funny, truthful look at marriage! I was convinced within the first few chapters that Melanie and I had led parallel lives, starting with her description of the December wedding she'd always dreamed about (exactly MY fantasy "Anna Karenina" wedding too!), contrasted with her ACTUAL wedding, in the mid-August South Texas heat. (Mine was the late August, Nevada heat, where one of our groomsmen - a 240 lb weightlifter - fainted and dropped the two other groomsmen with him on the way down!). I knew from that point on that we were soul sisters who had married soul brothers. I'm convinced my husband is just the Yankee MN version of Perry. He wouldn't hang animals on the wall, but there are number of 9-lb large mouth bass I know he dreams of mounting in our living room!). And when she talked about Perry having enough fishing tackle to outfit the first 250 people that showed up at her door, it was just too close to home. I laughed until I cried. And then I laughed some more. And that's how I knew this book was such a keeper. I'd start laughing again about a particular scene or chapter several hours or even days after I'd read it. And my daughter got such a kick out of watching me burst into laughter as I sat next to her reading.
We picked this to include in our mother-daughter summer book club because we wanted something that would lighten and balance out some of the heavier reading we had chosen, and this perfectly fit the bill. But it is also a wonderful and poignant look at marriage, with points that make you think and reflect at the same time. Highly recommended for single women, as well as those who've been married just a few years or forty. Wonderful look at how God's grace touches marriage in ways both profound and practical.
We picked this to include in our mother-daughter summer book club because we wanted something that would lighten and balance out some of the heavier reading we had chosen, and this perfectly fit the bill. But it is also a wonderful and poignant look at marriage, with points that make you think and reflect at the same time. Highly recommended for single women, as well as those who've been married just a few years or forty. Wonderful look at how God's grace touches marriage in ways both profound and practical.
February 25, 2014
If you're like the thousands of people who visit the Big Mama blog, you know you can count on Melanie to be funny and practical and honest. I enjoyed her first memoir, but I can honestly say that this one is even better.
I laughed out loud several times. I also teared up as she shared honestly about her shortcomings, unreasonable expectations and her heart full of love for Perry and for God.
Getting married teaches a person a whole lot about themselves and about getting along with others. There are also everyday matters that get more complicated when you are sharing time, space and a checkbook with another person. Melanie muses on this list of things and so much more:
forgiveness
ugliness
shopping
sickness
in-laws and out-laws
gift-giving
decorating
Melanie has been married 16 years. She shares stories about hers and Perry's courtship, wedding, and marriage. I've been married 21 years, so I loved reliving those early married years through her eyes, as well as recalling some of my own challenges as I read about hers.
Many books by bloggers read like a republishing of their best posts. That's okay, but if you are a regular reader, you want something new. I may not have read the blog as carefully lately, but many of these seem like stories she hasn't shared, or perhaps they are just put together in a new way. I appreciated that.
This is the kind of book that someone who's been married for many years will appreciate, but I think it would make a great gift for a newly engaged friend or relative as well.
*I received a copy of this book for review purposes*
I laughed out loud several times. I also teared up as she shared honestly about her shortcomings, unreasonable expectations and her heart full of love for Perry and for God.
Getting married teaches a person a whole lot about themselves and about getting along with others. There are also everyday matters that get more complicated when you are sharing time, space and a checkbook with another person. Melanie muses on this list of things and so much more:
forgiveness
ugliness
shopping
sickness
in-laws and out-laws
gift-giving
decorating
Melanie has been married 16 years. She shares stories about hers and Perry's courtship, wedding, and marriage. I've been married 21 years, so I loved reliving those early married years through her eyes, as well as recalling some of my own challenges as I read about hers.
Many books by bloggers read like a republishing of their best posts. That's okay, but if you are a regular reader, you want something new. I may not have read the blog as carefully lately, but many of these seem like stories she hasn't shared, or perhaps they are just put together in a new way. I appreciated that.
This is the kind of book that someone who's been married for many years will appreciate, but I think it would make a great gift for a newly engaged friend or relative as well.
*I received a copy of this book for review purposes*
May 31, 2015
I loved this book! I picked it up on a whim and was hooked from the start. Maybe it's where I'm at in life (a 20-something recent college grad with a long-term boyfriend) but as I read this book I completely related to many of Melanie's stories and experiences. I'm not from Texas, but I still found a wonderful camaraderie with this author. This book had me laughing 'til I cried and then I embarrassed myself by laughing much too loud for public courtesy. In brief, this is one I would highly recommend.
May 8, 2016
I loved this book! A short read, I finished most of it in one day. Honestly, I can't remember a single day in which I laughed as much as when I was reading this book. Shankle's conversational style drew me in, so I didn't feel like I was reading, but hearing her tell her hilarious stories. It is an endearing book in which she tells how two very different people have remained happily married despite their differences. I highly recommend this book.
August 5, 2014
This book is hilarious! I almost peed my pants a couple times laughing so hard. The only thing that would keep me from recommending it to everyone I know is that I am not sure I would have found it as funny if I was not married to exactly the same type of man as her. The resemblance was spot-on even down to the years spent living with the same person - the things that come up after a decade-plus is priceless. I loved it so much, I bought it and it is going on the bookshelf.
September 20, 2015
Not normally a book I would read but came as a recommendation from a friend who assured me that this book was almost just like my own world. Yes, there are A LOT of similarities between the author's marriage and mine. I guess I didn't find some of the author's stories humorous because for me it was like, Yes and.... Possibly a better read for someone not living in Texas and not living out some of the stories in real life. A cute, humorous and sometimes spiritual look at marriage all the same.
February 24, 2014
I pre-ordered this book because I loved Sparkly Green Earrings, but to be honest, this book was a bit of a disappointment to me. It wasn't laugh-out-loud funny for me the way SGE was. It may be my phase of life more than anything - I am in the midst of those mama years that Melanie captured with such hilarity.
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