Friday, June 17, 2011

Falling Into A Good Book

I just love summer time reading. Reading wasn't an easy thing for me as a kid. I had problems with "perception" which back in the day no one knew how to remedy. It took a good number of years to catch up but I did. I always loved the Summer Reading List that the school would hand out at the end of the school year. I have never outgrown my love for the Summer Reading List.

My first recollection of falling deep into a book was while reading Leo. It was about a Norwegian Elk Hound. The landscape was so descriptive that I felt swept away. I don't remember the author and have searched for the book off and on for years. I keep thinking that if it was worthy of the Summer Reading List surely I can find a copy. I would just like to have a copy of it on my shelf.

As an adult an entire summer was spent reading Anna Karenina. This was a selection for Oprah's Summer Reading. Tolstoy. It was so much fun to read along with others and discuss the book chapter by chapter. Oh how I fell in love the the characters and their dilemmas. Feasts were described in such great detail that I too wanted to have my own harvest bash. Oh the angst of Anna. I vowed that if a gob of money were to miraculously be thrown on my lap I would make it into film. I would beg Catherine Zeta Jones to play Anna.
(I still can't picture anyone else) I was sad when I finished the book.

This summer it's been humid, which really does stink because it's already 100 degrees. Sjogrens Syndrome has dried my eyes of darn near all of their moisture so humidity is a good thing for dry eyes. I just finished Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck which was perfect for the busy days I've had this last week. It's a collection of essays and articles. She's so funny and a very talented writer. Sure made standing in line after line  tolerable.

I ran to the library and was able to find Elizabeth Berg's The Last Time I Saw You. Elizabeth Berg is one of my favorite authors. I love how you get to know her characters through the dialog between each other. This book is harder to pull away from so I enjoyed getting comfy while my son was in with the orthodontist today. I know I kind of scrunched my eye brows when he came out after I had only finished a few chapters. (Can I send the kid back for another wire tweak?)

Our city has a great library system which runs a super kid's reading program. I think it's a great way to keep kids motivated to grab a book. I know it sure helps the kids when school begins again and their minds are sharp from reading every day. Falling behind in reading skills makes for a tough autumn.

My next book is a paperback so I'll be able to bob around the pool on my "floatie" while being whisked away to Shanghai. (Shanghai Girls by Lisa See)

Oh, a side note to my Sjoggie pals...I'll slather the sunscreen on thick, wear the sunglasses, wear the goofy hat and I promise to "bob" in the shaded end of the pool. Promise.

1 comment:

  1. Elizabeth Berg is one of my very favorite authors, too! I've read every single one of her fiction books. I recommend them often. I like Jodi Picoult, too. I'm slowly making my way through hers. And then there are the chic lit books that I read from time to time when I don't want to think when I read - when I simply want to be entertained. LOL.

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