This Summer's Beach Book "Today Will be Different" by Maria Semple ("Where'd You Go, Bernadette)

Maria Semple (b 1964) had a runaway best seller with her 2012 novel "Where'd You Go, Bernadette." For those who loved this novel (and I'm not among you) you will have a lot more to cheer for and for those who only liked it (I'm among the later) you'll be delightfully surprised by Semple absurdist satirical look at the contemporary "Odd Mom Out" humor.  Semple is also a screenwriter & successful TV writer ("SNL" & "Arrested Development." Eleanor, the odd mom out heroine shares Bernadette's impactful personality that borders on madness.  Only, there's much more than the hysterical lambasting of today's helicopter parents seen through the eyes of less driven & more disorganized mom who doesn't make the bake sales.  Humor stems from Eleanor, an older mom who had a career as a moderately successful illustrator, finds love, marriage to Joe (a successful hand surgeon) and from her dealings with their son, Timby (auto-spell checked from Timothy.)  Timby is a precocious  10 year old who manages to manipulate his manic & self-destructive mom in ways both endearing & off-putting.  Timby is triumphant & stole the spotlight whenever he was on the scene.  The novel takes many twists & turns and looks back into Eleanor's childhood. Her childhood revolved around her beloved younger sister Ivy.  The sisters thespian mother whom they adored, died when they were young.  After their mom died, their alcoholic father moved with the girls to CO where he left them for weeks on end to fend for themselves.  Ivy is an interesting piece of work.  She lived a quixotic & nomadic lifestyle until she meets Bucky (inadvertently through Eleanore).  Bucky is an eccentric southern aristocrat. Ivy & Bucky marry soon after meeting.  Bucky is another unexpected & amusing character.  He stirs the novel with his haughty pretensions & indomitable personality.  Semple's fast paced writing makes this a novel you won't want to put down.  She captures the ambience of a dank Seattle, the alchemy of the art world and  the mid-life neurosis of a strong willed yet likable heroine.  Religion is denounced & then reconsidered by Joe, her steadfast husband and physician for the beloved Seattle Seahawks.  Adding to the pastiche  is Eleanor's love for poetry.  Her mentor poet rakes out a living wage at Costco.  The lampooned scenes in Costco are LOL & chillingly precise.  Semple's fondness for poetry favors Yeats.  "The best lack all conviction while the worse are full of passionate intensity."  Other astute observation are:  "change is the goal, insight the booby prize."  Most importantly, Eleanor realizes the importance of life is loving we'll the people you love most.  "Today Will be Different" is an insightful & enjoyable read you will polish off in a day or two.