About a month ago, I got so desperate to read a book that I started digging through the garage to look for books that I had yet to unpack (typed in a whisper: from our move over 1 year ago). The first box of books that I stumbled upon was full of high school yearbooks -- that wasn't going to do. The second box of books had law school text books. Yes, I decided, that will do. I love reading case law -- really, I do. So, I chose my Minnesota Family Case Law book and started reading a case from the early 1900's that was chock-full of jurisdictional confusion and Supreme Court interpretational joy. I loved it. (sigh) But this fun was only good for so long and I vowed that I needed to go get a library card.
The next day, Brynn and I went to the library. She loved it -- it's now a special treat when she gets to go there and she gets all hyper and giddy. I love that she can't wait until we get home to read books, and that she always wants to sit on the bench outside the entrance and read a couple books before we get in the car to go home.
The first book I chose to read was about that time traveller. Enough said.
On our last trip there, I didn't have anything specific in mind. I wandered the shelves while keeping an eye on Brynn who was in puzzle heaven with another little girl. Nothing was jumping out at me -- and then I saw the golden circle and the angels started singing. Yes, Oprah had endorsed a book!! (Not a Pulitzer you sillies!!) Oprah has rarely led me astray, so I picked it up and claimed my daughter who was now loudly proclaiming "SEE!! THERE'S MY MOMMY!!" to the other little girl.
So, this is what I'm reading. I'm trying so very hard to read it. I've been at it for a good 2 weeks now and I'm on page 100-something. This is sooooooooooo slow and ... out of my element that I'm having problems getting involved in it. It has to do with 4 random people living in India during an uprising in the 1940s-1970s and there's a lot of talk about the caste system and sewing. LOTS of sewing. I feel as if I could make a dress, or at the very least a nightgown after all this talk of sewing machines and measurements.
I will finish this book, even if I forget to renew it and incur lots of overdue fines. I keep hoping that this book will be like another of Oprah's Gold Seals that I had a terrible time getting involved with.
Here's The Poisonwood Bible. Again, the first 100-150 pages were so dagnabit slow that I think I started and stopped this book at least twice. (Just like a couple of Toni Morrison's books. I have NEVER finished Song of Solomon).
However, there was some turning point in this book and the last half of the book just flew by. I loved it. I decided that this was one of my favorite books. As I have the "Book Details Memory Lapse" Disease, I am not able to remember exactly what this book was about ... but it was good. I do remember that it is VERY important to take all of your malaria pills and not stick them on the wall under your bed.
Some of my other favorite books are:
1. James Frey Books. I know Oprah disavowwed him, but the books still rock.
2. Wally Lamb Books. I don't know how Oprah feels about him. I think she likes him. I LURVE him. I can easily read, or want to read, any of his 500+ page books in a weekend.
3. I have read 2 John Grisham books in my life, and have LURVED* one and LIKED A LOT the other one.
First the LURVE: The Testament. It's about a billionairre and a will and a journey into the Patanal in South America.
The LIKED A LOT: The Innocent Man. This is a true story. I bet you can't tell what it's about?? It's like reading an episode of Dateline. I enjoyed it.
*LURVE is a more emphatic version of Love. ex: I Love regular Coca-Cola, but I LURVE Red Bull.
(I can't format this post to save my life!! I am not BFFs with Blogger today.)