The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank

The author Melissa Bank died last week at age 61, after a battle with lung cancer. When I read her obituary, it took me back to those days in 1999 when I read her book "The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing." I loved everything about this book, from its seven connected stories to the quirky image on the cover of a women with rubber boots, a bulky red coat and a trapper hat. I will never wear a trapper hat, but I can appreciate the moxy someone has to wear one. The book was crafted as a response to the 1995 book "The Rules: Time Tested Secrets for Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right." In Bank's book, heroine Jane Rosenal wants love but does not want to play the games that modern dating requires. The stories follow Rosenal, from age 14 into her mid-30s, chronicling the men she meets along the way. When I read this book, I was already married with twin toddlers, but the narrative captivated me because it was so smart, witty and creative. When asked what this book is about, Bank once said, "Girl meets boy, girl loses self, girl gets self." Her assessment of her book continues to be so appropriate in today's on-line dating community. The themes of sex, love, relationships and workplace differences continue to be modern and problematic. After months at the top of the best seller lists when it was published, the book has been translated into dozens of languages and sold more than 1.5 million copies. I think the reason her book was so successful was not only because it was so well written, but also because it was full of heart and soul. I was sad to hear about her passing, but I hope my posting about “The Girls’ Guide” now will introduce it to a new generation of readers who might not have discovered it before. Charlotte, your copy is in the mail. To buy this book on Amazon click here.