True to Form : A Novel by Elizabeth
Berg
Value Friends, Make New Friends, And Keep Your Feet On The Ground
In her 10th novel, True to Form, Elizabeth Berg finds her way into the year
1961 and into the head of 13-year-old Katie Nash at the start of her
summer vacation. Katies world is smooth and easy with endless
possibilities and sunshine. You almost expect sitcom-style canned laughter
when she whines in frustration or stomps up to her room and turns the
radio way up, but then almost everything Katie does fits that eras squeaky-
clean conventionalities. The younger daughter of a remarried widower,
Katie craves popularity, a great summer job, and a direct line to the local
DJ to make requests. Newly transplanted from Texas, she settles in with
her only friend, Cynthia, who shares her views on status and appearance
and boys. Between a regular babysitting gig for a household of little boys
and caring for an elderly bedridden woman, her summer is off to a less
than auspicious start. Cynthias mothers plot to start a Girl Scout troop and
to camp out for a weekend in their living room doesnt help. Bergs plot
doesnt exactly mine new territory, but Katie emerges as a girl who sees
the world differently from the rest of her peers. Her poetic perspective on

her surroundings and her predicaments should eventually win readers
over. The period backdrop feels unformed against this portrait of a young
artist-to-be, but Katie imbues it with fresh eyes. --Emily Russin
Personal Review: True to Form : A Novel by Elizabeth Berg
I have no idea how long this book has been on my bookshelf. I was bored
the other night and needed something to read ~~ not too thick of a book
and something that I can sink my teeth in. After having read Berg's other
books, I thought, oh I can't go wrong with this one! Yep! I didn't go wrong!
For such a slim book, it really packed in a story that makes me want more!
Katie Nash is living in St. Louis. She is lonely. She has only one friend,
Cynthia. She still keeps in touch with her best friend from Texas,
Cherylanne and visited her for a few days after winning a contest on the
radio. Katie was planning to have a nice quiet summer ~~ but her father
has other plans. She has two babysitting jobs and they both impacted her
life in more ways than one. She has to babysit three little boys and help an
elderly couple with the caretaking of the wife. Katie didn't want to take
these jobs ~~ she had dreams of glamourous jobs like working the
concession stand at the local pool or something else. Just not babysitting.
This is one of the best written books I have read in a long time. Berg
describes the midwestern summer nights so perfectly or even the long
summer days. I grew up in the Midwest and just lived in those descriptions.
Katie is a budding poetress and her thoughts are so similar to what I had
as a teenager ~~ it felt like I was reliving my past through the words of this
book. I love it when I find a good book like this ~~ because it's a keeper
and it hits close to home. It is about a young girl growing up ~~ and it is
about life, viewed through the eyes of a young girl.
If you have a chance to, I would recommend this book for you to read. It is
one of the most unforgettable books you'll ever have a chance to read.
Katie will stick with you long after the last page has turned.
2-27-06
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