“Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk” by Kathleen Rooney

My father wanted me to become a competitive tennis player. Although I enjoyed my wardrobe of  Fila tennis dresses, I was in complete disagreement with him over this concept and would often fling my Chrissy Evert wooden tennis racket down and yell, “I’m done.” My dad thought that the key to life was to learn a sport, and compete with others to find supreme balance. However, the problem was that I never wanted to win a single tennis match, not one. It took me years to realize that I love exercise, but hate competition. Thus, I am now and forever an avid walker. I walk fast, I walk slow. I can walk for miles and miles without stopping or even getting bored. This is the kind of exercise that I like to do, alone or in groups. “Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk” by Kathleen Rooney is a walker’s dream book. Based ever-so-loosely on the real-life advertising writer Margaret Fishback, the story follows the fictional tale of Lillian Boxfish as she heads out on a walk through Manhattan on the last night of 1984. She walks alone but runs into a menagerie of different people along the way that fascinate her and keep her entertained. From an innovative young copy writer for R.H. Macy’s to her traditional role as a mother and wife, the story shows Lillian as she takes a stroll through New York City and rustles through the pockets of her own 85-year-old mind. Some memories are charming and happy, and others more dark and painful. The pace is both reflective and meditative. The arc of Lillian’s life also reflects on the changes in America from the 1930s through the 1980s.  To purchase this book on Amazon click here.