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Nov 27, 2016DBRL_KrisA rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
On the surface, Bettyville is the story of how the author returned to his small Missouri hometown to take care of his elderly mother. And if the book had been just about that, it would have been beautiful. But this book is about so many other things, as well: growing up gay in a small town; the author's struggle with addiction and recovery; the disappearance of the small town due to big-box stores and industrial agriculture. Hodgman's mother (the Betty in Bettyville) and father are not touchy-feely people; Betty goes rigid if George tries to hug her, and she hates receiving help from anyone, so having her grown son take over is uncomfortable for both of them. It also makes it near impossible to discuss anything of importance - Betty's health, George's sexuality. Ultimately, this is a beautiful homage to Betty and a fond remembrance of Hodgman's childhood.