Book Review: The Antelope in the Living Room

I like Melanie Shankle. She's genuine, vulnerable, and funny. I'm so glad I purchased this brief audio book when Christian Book Distributors had a recent dollar sale. Yep, I got it for a buck (along with 11 other books, videos, and miscellaneous items my husband believes we never needed). Plus, in purchasing this, I discovered she is a San Antonio blogger and has a new book of essays encouraging readers to look for the good in others. Here's a link to her blog.

The Antelope in the Living Room: The Real Story of Two People Sharing One Life is a breath of fresh air when cooped up together, sheltering-in-place with different perspectives on what that should look like. Let's just say I had to put off listening to this for a few days because I was in no mood to reflect on marital bliss. But, frictions blew over, life went on, and I ditched the music CDs to get back to listening to a book while walking (an option already challenged with my library's closure and my CD player's demise - it was skipping even when playing brand new CDs, so it is not a case of over-used discs causing the interruptions). I appreciate how Melanie can inspire laughter one moment and serious reflection the next. Plus, I agree with her conclusion - despite the bumps along the way, it is better to do life together than to go it alone or to throw in the towel when tempers flare and you feel you may never want to speak to your spouse again. Besides, I should count my blessings: we have woods on our property and yet my husband hasn't once gone hunting and brought home an animal head to mount in my living room.