WILD WOMEN by Simon Leigh (Uka Press)

Wanna get to me? Write a novel with great voice.

Like Simon Leigh did in WILD WOMEN.

Consider this dry, witty tidbit:

They taxied home with their usual driver, showered, climbed into bed and made love. It went quite well. But for the first time she thought it felt like children clinging together, alone together, warming each other but not just for fun – for survival.

Or this telling line:

So here they sat, facing each other over the wreckage of fine dining, Linda and Steven, fully clothed, hearts pounding, unable to speak. Their daughter was all there was to say.

What's it about? Uh . . . gimme a minute.

Let's say this: It's the story of a man who travels to Canada to become a professor and do some auto racing.

Sometimes the point of the journey is not to arrive. Okay, I'm misquoting someone here, but who cares--that's why I blog instead of write for the NY Times. But, unlike the Times, you can trust me when I recommend a book--and this one is delicious! Leigh is a master of voice and this novel should required reading in creative writing classes.

It is a British-ish (yes, I know) novel, though it is hard to understand why. Turns out Leigh was born in Australia and lives in Canada. Nonetheless he has mastered the language, and brings out a hilarious tale well-worth reading more than once. And know that it is not for the faint-hearted; it is quite, er. . . ribald. (C'mon, the title is WILD WOMEN, for Pete's sake.) Published by UKA Press, it's tighter than your average POD, too. Let this book take you on a marvelous ride! It's a journey you won't soon forget.