Guest Review: BUFFALO GAL by Laura Pederson

Buffalo Gal
By Laura Pederson
ISBN-10: 1555916929
ISBN-13: 978-1555916923
Paperback, 256 pages
October 31, 2008
Fulcrum Pub
Reviewed by Cynthia Murphy

The middle of winter might not seem like the best time for a book set in Buffalo, New York, but Laura Pederson’s Buffalo Gal is definitely worth reading any time of year. Pederson’s childhood makes for a hilarious memoir, and the setting is a key element. Buffalo’s harsh climate shaped Pederson’s life in interesting ways. If you live in the South, her recollections of Buffalo during the energy crisis of the 1970s will also make you grateful for the milder climate.

Buffalo Gal is truly laugh out loud funny. Pederson begins her story with an account of her first visit to the American Stock Exchange. In all of its chaos, she finds her calling. Something about the crazy atmosphere feels right to the fourteen year old Laura. It turns out that her own wacky childhood was the perfect preparation for her dream job.

Laura Pederson describes her childhood through surprisingly unsentimental eyes. In her own witty way, she recounts growing up as the only child in a somewhat dysfunctional household. Her mother worked as a psychiatric nurse, and her father served as a court reporter. Pederson’s family is an interesting blend of Irish and Scandinavian heritage. Both sides provide their fair share of dark humor throughout the book. Pederson’s childhood was unconventional to say the least. Her mother went back to school and became a nurse at a time when most mothers stayed home. Every description of her father features the huge cloud of smoke surrounding his head. He is a chain smoker who is never without a cigarette. Pederson’s grandmother was an early version of the modern day trader, and her immigrant grandfather worked as a popular waiter. This colorful family left Laura to entertain herself most of the time. She was a very independent child. By the time her parents separated, it didn’t effect her daily life.

One of my favorite people in Pederson’s life story is her eighth grade social studies teacher, Peter Heffley. Pete is a larger than life character, sort of her own personal Auntie Mame. Pederson formed a lifelong friendship with Pete and spent a lot of her free time with him. The time with Pete provides an escape from her crazy family. Pete is probably the most colorful character in Pederson’s childhood and certainly the most entertaining.

The setting is the key element in Buffalo Gal. Most of Pederson’s memories involve the harsh winters, fierce blizzards, and brief but beautiful summers. She also captures the decline of the area in an interesting way. Pederson tells her own story and the story of her hometown. As she was growing up, Buffalo dealt with an energy crisis and dwindling jobs. Pederson’s witty style keeps lends a surprisingly upbeat tone to a rather sad story. Despite the fact that she left Buffalo for college and never returned as a resident, it is clear that Laura Pederson loves her hometown. At times, Buffalo Gal seems like a love letter to the Buffalo of her youth.

Parts of Laura Pederson’s story feel familiar to me, and I am definitely not a “Buffalo gal.” Her depiction of life as an only child rings true. I guess I’m a bit biased since I’m an only child of Irish descent. I could also relate to her struggles with her pale complexion. Her account of working at a summer camp and the subsequent sunburns, bug bites, and chaos is one of the funniest parts of this book. (This is probably funnier to those of us who can get a sunburn by simply looking at the sun, but it really is hilarious.)

Buffalo Gal is the story of Laura Pederson’s childhood, but it is also the story of Buffalo’s decline. She frames her own with the story of her hometown. It is a story that rings true for many residents of the Midwest in the 1970s. What sets Buffalo Gal apart is its humor. Pederson’s sharp, witty style makes the otherwise sad story fun. This memoir is more humor and social history than anything else. If you like to laugh out loud, this is a great book to curl up with on a dreary winter day. Unless you live in Buffalo- then you may want to wait for summer.