“I Kiss Myself Goodbye: The Many lives of Aunt Munca”
a
OFF THE SHELF
“I Kiss Myself Goodbye:
The Many lives of Aunt Munca”
This is a memoir written by Sir William Robert Ferdinand Mount (3rd Baronet). Principally he is writing about his relationship with his aunt, an apparent millionairess who calls herself Aunt Munca after the mouse in a Beatrix Potter book (it was never explained why). According to Mount, his aunt is a bit of an enigma and a consummate liar, “Nothing about her back story seems to add up”. Mount writes about his summer holidays at her house by the sea and the comings and goings of various guests. He name-drops frequently throughout the book and paints the characters who come and go but in a very superficial or irreverent way. There is no depth to any of the characters.
Mount does get to find out about his aunt’s background – probably the most interesting part of the whole book. Despite that there was a general feeling of so what? The title, I kiss myself goodbye is a reference that Aunt Munca makes to her background – a background that she wants to disown and forget.
This book has been well reviewed elsewhere – but take a deep sigh here – none of our book club members liked the book, only one gave it a six out of 10, with the rest scoring it as low as 2, 3 or 4. Three of us failed to finish it. It was described variously as tedious, boring, pointless and self-indulgent. Overall rating 4 ½ out of 10.