Great Read: "Truth In Advertising" by John Kenney

Country music star Blake Shelton is a cheating dog. Allegedly. Recent reports suggest his hit song “God Gave Me You” should actually be titled “God Gave Me You… And A Cute, Young Brunette”. His wife -- country music star and all round bad ass -- Miranda Lambert is going to have to set Blake straight.

Here’s another fella in the “needs to be scared straight” category: Finn Dolan, the hero of the novel Truth In Advertising. Finn is pushing 40 and – as an advertising executive – a bunch of shoddy products too. Finn’s a good guy. Funny, self-deprecating and deeply conflicted about many things, including his treatment of women, which includes a fiance whom he recently jilted.

Finn has some growing up to do, but (unlike Blake Shelton) no gun-toting wife to “motivate” him to change his ways. Don’t get me wrong. Finn has some catalysts for change. In particular, the death of his estranged father is an experience that forces Finn to connect the events of his past with his frozen heart present.

Author John Kenney expertly skewers the glamorous world of Manhattan advertising by peeling away the layers of artifice, until we see the surprising core. Finn’s ad world is filled with people expert in crafting illusion but with no knowledge of the emotional truth that makes life as enriching as our favorite commercials suggest.

 

“The truth will set you free” is an old adage and one Finn finally embraces. When he does, we, the reader, feel like cheering. Kind of like the reaction many of us will have if and when pics of Blake Shelton, with buckshot in his buns, surface on TMZ. (Click this link for "Truth In Advertising" by John Kenney on amazon.com. It's available for around $13.)