I decided I wanted to read something undemanding and this novel by Mameve Medwed fit the bill. Abby Randolph runs an antiques shop, more of a stall actually. Her dad made her feel like a failure because she failed to follow the academic path he laid out for her. She has had a couple of romances that ended badly and have contributed to her low self esteem. This book is about worth - the worth of objects and self-worth. Abby inherits a chamber pot that no one else wanted and, believing it to be worthless, she uses it as a planter in her shop. On the advice of a colleague she takes the object to The Antiques Roadshow and finds that it once belonged to that most romantic of poets, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and that the spaniel pictured on it is Barrett Browning's beloved dog Flush (ha ha). Squabbling over the previously unwanted object ensues and Abby learns a lot about herself in the process i.e.: it's our flaws that make us what we are. I was prompted to reread a few Barrett Browning poems and googled Flush (I love a good dog yarn) so I learned a bit in the process too. Not a keeper but subtly humourous and it has a lot of heart.
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