Carrying Albert Home

Carrying Albert Home is essentially a love story, just not a conventional one. It is about a woman discovering her true love and a man understanding that to love a woman often means caring for something she holds close to her heart.

In Hickam's case it is a nostalgic journey of memories and stories about and with his parents at the centre of it all.

For Elsie, Albert is the one thing that ties her to the man in her past. The man she believes she truly loves. It takes a long journey with an alligator, oh and the rooster, for her to discover the truth.

The people you leave behind in the past have been left there for a reason. Not only that, the grass always tends to be the same shade of green on the other side. Such a pity greener grass seekers don't seem to understand that.

It is a light-hearted tale, a blend of fact, fiction and memories. For me it lacked a certain finesse.

The author's notes at the end were quite fascinating. Even now he would love to hold any kind tangible evidence of some of the stories. Unfortunately he finds himself in the same position as most of us.

Some parts of our parents lives will always remain a mystery to us. Tales grow taller with the years and more dramatic by the minute. Little yarns spun to entertain us as children become the factual stories of the future.

In this case however I am pretty sure there was an Albert. and it wouldn't surprise me at all if he managed to live to a grand old age after being carried home.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.