Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story of a Man, HisWife, and Her Alligator by Homer H. Hickam
Homer Hickam (the elder) has had it with Albert. He was innocently using the toilet one
morning when Albert jumped out of the bathtub and snatched his pants. Now the entire town has seen Homer out in his
yard in his skivvies as he gives his wife an ultimatum – either Albert goes or he
does. His wife Elsie didn’t want to make
a decision right away but eventually decides that Albert does need to go…back
to Florida. It’s only right that he
return to the place of his birth. So
begins the journey to bring Albert home.
The author had me at alligator.
I think alligators are just awesome with their toothy smiles and amazing
prehistoric looks. Put an alligator in a
washtub in the backseat of a car for a road trip and I’m in!
I finished this book a few days ago and was wondering what to
say. I liked it overall, especially
Albert and his personality and love for just about everything including his
mother. I will admit that at the start
Elsie is hard to like, but as the book progresses you get to understand her,
and by the end her actions all make complete sense. Read on the surface it’s a road trip, dig
just a tad deeper and it’s all about letting go of the past and coming to terms
with the present and your future. The
one thing I am still pondering? The
rooster. An unnamed rooster goes along
on the road trip. I think I know why he
was there in a symbolic sort of way, but it’s a bird that can be many colors.
A good choice if you want a book that will make you laugh and
also tear up a wee bit at the end (in a happy way) that also makes you think a
bit after you close the covers.
