5 Reasons to Read The God of Driving

Okay, okay: I'm not so crazy about the title of the book, but everything else rings true for me.

Here are 5 Reasons Why I Connected with: The God of Driving by Amy Fine Collins

5. As a fashion/celebrity writer Amy Fine Collins had a closet full of designer clothes: "All custom-made by Geoffrey Beane."


She donated one entire wardrobe to the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. As a reader, I had so much fun watching her pick out suitable outfits for her driving lessons.

4. As a New Yorker, she never drove herself to work.


As a former New Yorker, I totally relate. In New York, I walked or rode the subway/bus to my former workplace in Midtown Manhattan at Institutional Investor Newsletters! [Hey, Tom and Kathy Lamont!] I loved public transportation, taxis and limos.

Now, I even ride buses in Miami, where many people think bus riders are weird, desperate, destitute or all of the above.

I just don't understand the American love affair with cars. Hello! Public transportation saves gas & money. Plus, you can read (safely) while riding the bus. And I'm thin because I walk a lot. Yes, I'm getting excessive. I'm taking deep breaths and I will stop ranting.


3. Collins delivers this great quote in the first chapter: "For my entire adult life, I had no use for automobiles and no ability to drive them."

Bravo!


2. Nondrivers will also feel the pain and shame of this confession from Collins: "My dependency on my husband, friends, colleagues and strangers evolved almost into an affectation...."


So true. But I think the folks in my universe are sooo over my helpless-little-me-non-driving attitude. They're like: Grow Up! Get a liscense and get on the road, girl!

1. Collins faces her fears. Basically, her wonderful driving instructor Attila taught her that a fear of driving can be connected to other fears and issues.


Driving, I've learned from Attila -- by way of Collins -- can be a metaphor for life. We all have blindspots. We all have speed bumps and we all meet our share of time-consuming detours.

So am I ready to drive yet? No. But I'm having fun reading & writing about it. And that's progress!

That's enough for now. I have two other blogs to maintain: The Frugal Duchess (www.sharonhr.blogspot.com) and Homeless in Miami (www.homelessmiami.blogspot.com).