My Journey

I started a journey through my self created world of unread books  a year ago.  My list that started out at 76 grew to 102 since I still haven't learned to resist the draw of the written word wrapped inside a lovely 4-color cover.  I've read a grand total of 40 books.  Some I loved, some were only OK.  But that means there are 62 left on my shelf and a whole big bookstore where new books are calling my name.

A couple months ago I started reading Anya by Susan Fromberg Schaeffer.  First off the text is formatted with very few paragraphs and the dialogue all runs together.  Any one that knows me well, knows that I like things to be a bit more precise.  With so many words crammed on the page, I found it difficult to read.  I'm sure it's a really wonderful story.  Anya and her family were interesting and smart characters.  I like that.  They were Jews in Poland so I knew the Holocaust was coming.  I would read some, set it back on my nightstand, read a different book and then come back to it.  After 134 pages I've finally decided I don't need to go on.

The second book I have to put down for good is The Dollmaker by Harriette Arnow.  This is a classic and again I know it will be a touching and heartwarming story but the dialect slowed me down to a crawl.  The author captures the language of Gertie and her family perfectly.  They live in the back hills of Kentucky and speak with an Appalachian twang. I personally found myself reading the text several times to understand what was happening.  The experience of reading the story was no longer enjoyable.  But I did make it to page 98.

As with all the books on my bookcase I've learned something about myself in each one.  In this case I learned why I have difficulty in my own writing with speech patterns of different characters.  I don't hear the differences therefore I don't write them differently. Damn! Maybe I need to study how these authors portrayed their characters so beautifully.  Then again, I bet there are more books waiting to teach me that same lesson.

Two more down.  Sixty to go.  Or until I succumb to a new book once again. Rest assured the price of a Kindle will be under $50 by the time I cross the last title off my list.  It's a long, long road ahead.