So Many Books, So Little Time

Found a treasure last night at the library:

So Many Books, So Little Time - A year of passionate reading By Sara Nelson
Couldn’t put it down and have managed to read up to page 150. “The well-known publishing correspondent and self-described ‘readaholic’ chronicles a year spent reading---and the surprises it brought” explains the one sentence synopsis. While I have not read most of the selections she describes, we are kindred spirits. From the dust jacket: “Books get to me personally. When things go right, I read. When things go wrong, I read more.” Her husband, with skillful carpentry ability, has built bookshelves for her collection. He is NOT much of a reader. Roy and her husband could commiserate together about their bibliophile wives and their bookshelf building volunteer work.

After leaving work, Barnes & Noble was calling my name. Inspired by Sara Nelson, I browsed the shelves wondering which books might hold my interest. Three books attracted me:

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass
(Read Chapter 1)

I am known to get a little emotional at times. Newborn babies bring tears to my eyes. (I can vividly picture Pepere making silly coo-coo-coo noises to Erin with tears in his eyes.) Sad movies make me cry. And reading Chapter 1 of the "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" gave me a stomach ache. When I read, I become immersed in the words. It is as though I am listening to the author tell me his story. And listening to Frederick Douglass tell me the beginning of his story made me hurt. I had to put the book down. Not because I was not interested, but because I was so involved with what he described that it was literally discomforting. A book to return to, an author to revisit, when I am feeling stronger.


Jokes My Father Never Taught Me - Life, Love and Loss with Richard Pryor by Rain Pryor
(Read Intro, Chapters 1 & 2)

For those of you not in the loop, at one time in his early life, Roy could recite many of Richard Pryor’s comedy routines. We could be having a normal conversation and all of a sudden he would be reminded of a Pryorism and go off on that tangent. Could be roaches in the oven, having to go to the bathroom when you are out in the woods, didn’t matter. The funny thing was that two weeks after Eric was born, my parents visited us – and spent time listening to Richard Pryor! I can recall that even back then my mom had a wacky sense of humor.
Being familiar with his jokes, I wanted to hear what his daughter said about him as a dad. She did not meet him until she was four years old. She spoke about his growing up in a whorehouse run by his grandmother. About learning the word “motherf……” even before she was born. About her Jewish mother and grandparents. Perhaps I might even be able to entice Roy to read this one together…if I am lucky.

In the Merde for Love by Stephen Clarke
(Read Chapters 1-3)

Roy may not be a reader, but we have an odd commonality. He likes to watch the travel channel. Despite my lack of TV time, Samantha Brown and Andrew Zimmern are well known to me (as are several hosts on the DIY channel, but I digress). Roy likes to travel with Samantha Brown – they have vicariously gone all over the world together -- and to experience new and often disgusting foods with Andrew Zimmern. I, on the other hand, share the same habit of traveling vicariously. But my fellow travelers are authors, not hosts of tv shows. Peter Mayle has kept me in stitches while guiding me through the cultural nuances of the south of France with “A Year in Provence” and “Toujours Provence”. Bill Bryson and I enjoyed attempting to traverse the Appalachian Trail together in “A Walk in the Woods”. Another author introduced me to life in Spain. Several authors have taught me about life in Paris. I seem to gravitate toward stories of Americans who have learned to adjust to life in Europe… At least if I can’t afford to live that life, I can enjoy it nonetheless.

Had I been in the library tonight, I would have brought home all three of these books. Roy would be proud of me. I wrote down the titles and authors of each of the books I tasted, then put each of them back where I found them. I was feeling a little guilty walking to the front of the store without a book to purchase in my hands, when lo and behold I passed “SORTED! The ultimate guide to organizing your life – once and for all” by Lissanne Oliver. A bargain book, plus my B&N member discount, I left the store only $7.61 poorer than when I arrived.

The time spent reading, however, was priceless!