A Review of Everybody into the Pool

I may have just explained why I chose Everybody into the Pool yesterday, but I actually read the book while in Cancun. This light-hearted memoir about the crazy life of Beth Lisick is relatively short and was a quick read so I got through it only a couple of days.

The stories start out entertaining, painting a funny picture of a weird childhood that may have had it’s odd moments but featured a caring family and stable home life. In this environment, Beth was able to explore her interests, including dedicating an entire summer simply to the purpose of tanning. I enjoyed Beth’s quirks and the wacky stories they lead to. In one, she wore a completely hideous dress as Homecoming Princess simply because she was too lazy to find something better and she wore it without any shame.

However, as the book went on, the stories started to wear thin. Later, we see Beth as an adult living among crack dealers, though she does not drugs, dressing as a banana to make money, and trying out bisexuality, which she can’t seem to make stick. What was cute and charming on a child, though, becomes a little less so on an adult. Many of the anecdotes still amuse and I get that Beth is “free-spirited”, but the magic is gone. I was left more with questions about why she would choose to live that way.

While I would hardly call the book a must-read or anything near great literature, Everybody into the Pool did live up to its name and make good poolside reading.