A while ago, I read a book called The Accidental Tourist. The abridged version, actually, but the same story nevertheless. I’d like to share it with you….
Authentic Author : Anne Tyler
If you ever write guidelines to help people get through what you’re going through, then you definitely can relate to Macon Leary. But there’smore to him than the introversive and routine-loving side
Macon Leary loved routines and hated traveling. Ironically, he wrote guidebooks for people like him – called the Accidental Tourist series. This obliged him to travel to places. That had been his life – his perfect boring little life with his dear wife Sarah and their only son, Ethan.
So everything totally changed when Ethan was shot during his school holiday. Sarah was torn apart by his death, and although Macon was just in as much grief, their marriage started to falling apart. Couldn’t bear Macon’s lack of attention and comforting words, Sarah stated she wanted a divorce, packed her things, and left.
All alone, it took him three whole weeks before he had the gut to tell her unmarried young sister and two divorced older brothers – who lived together. They’re concerned about him, but Macon insisted he was doing fine. When his boss Julian asked him to make a new edition of Accidental Tourist in England , that was when he found a new problem. The usual place won’t take Edward, his dog, because he bit an attendant the last time he was there. Desperate, he took Edward to Meow-Bow Hospital.
The girl in the front desk accepted Edward gladly, and introduced herself as Muriel. Macon met her again after he came back from England, when he picked Edward. Muriel started staring and flirting, and in the end not only she gave Macon her card, she offered her service to train Edward.
Macon didn’t put much thoughts of that. He came home and started doing things, until the little incidents in the basements happened, resulting in his leg got double bend. Macon was forced to stay with Rose then. There, Edward got even wilder, attacking and biting people. That left Macon no choice but to call Muriel for help.
Muriel not only taught Edward to sit and sleep and stay, she also told Macon stories about herself. It was going smooth until Macon found out she had had a little boy. Muriel, crazy in love, was afraid it was just gonna ruin the possibility of their relationship. She stormed out and didn’t come back for a while.
Then he got a phone call from Sarah, just to know that she’d filled the divorce paper and had sent him one as well. Macon hadn’t get over Sarah, in fact, he still found her quite charming which actually the sweetest things written in this book. However, live went on, and when Edward got all wild again Macon was forced to call Muriel for help. Edward’s training continued, led these two to spend time together, talking and shopping and finally kissing.
Meanwhile, Julian found himself in love with Rose Leary. After stood up for her and her wrongly-baked turkey at thanksgiving, he decided to marry her and proposed at Christmas. Macon’s love story didn’t go as that smooth though. He tried to refused Muriel’s invitation for dinner, but in the end he showed up anyway, spent the night at her house. He got along with Muriel’s son, Alexander, and even went with Muriel to her parents’ home. Muriel looked so childish and annoying when she hopelessly told him she didn’t expect more of his visit, since her mom made her look bad (although she was).
Rose, Charles, and Porter all tried to assure Macon that Muriel’s not his type, but he didn’t respond. He’d been living with Muriel for a while when things got even more complicated. Muriel wanted to marry him, but Macon didn’t, so there was shouting and throwing.
Anyway, Macon had to go to Paris to write a new book. Muriel insisted to go to, but Macon refused. Muriel started her stalking, and after borrowing money from Bernice and Claire, managed to buy the same plane tickets as Macon, even stayed in the same hotel and buy clothes. He kept refusing her invitation to have dinner or anything, but this persuasive person just kept sticking and asking.
Macon was just about to leave when his back went out. That was when Sarah came to take care of him. They were doing perfectly well together. But show must go on. Spend the night thinking of Sarah and Muriel, he finally decided to left Sarah, left his belongings, and went for Muriel.
Firsty Writes! 