on reading

I check the online library every morning for new additions, put books on hold, see what my favorite authors are up to. I see that Robert Parker and Tom Clancy, God rest their souls, have new books out… thanks to their franchises wanting to make more money, I mean give us readers more of Spenser and Jack Ryan.

I tend to read lawyer stuff, mysteries, have started the series about Pendergast by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, this genre gets pretty dark and heavy, so in between these I have to read something light. I liked The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective. I have Goldfinch in my stack of to be read books, saw on the news that it just won a Pulitzer prize. 

While perusing the library site, saw The End of Your Life Book Club, "The inspiring story of a son and his dying mother, who form a 'book club' that brings them together as her life comes to a close." The description sounds sad and morbid, but the book was not like that at all. The two avid readers would meet in chemo waiting rooms and the first question would be, "What are you reading?" They discuss a LOT of books, which led to making a book list, one of which I am reading now, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson.

The sequel to The Shining came out, Doctor Sleep. I have not read it yet but Buddy listened to the audio book after first listening to The Shining, having never read the book, only seen the movie which is very different. So now I have those books on my digital book TBR pile by the bed.

And a recommendation just came in for another of my favorite subjects, hiking on the AT, so I have this book to read: Three Hundred Zeros by Dennis Blanchard.

All of my reading is on my Kindle, has been for several years.

Do you miss going to the library?

Speaking of going to the library, I saw this story recently about the Letters to the Children of Troy - Troy, Michigan librarian requested letters from many famous people about the importance of libraries and reading. She received 97 letters, (from Neil Armstrong, Dr. Seuss, Isaac Asimov, Pat Nixon, and lots more), I like this one by E. B. White: 

“A library is many things. It’s a place to go, to get in out of the rain. It’s a place to go if you want to sit and think. But particularly it is a place where books live, and where you can get in touch with other people, and other thoughts, through books. If you want to find out about something, the information is in the reference books — the dictionaries, the encyclopedias, the atlases. If you like to be told a story, the library is the place to go. Books hold most of the secrets of the world, most of the thoughts that men and women have had. And when you are reading a book, you and the author are alone together — just the two of you. A library is a good place to go when you feel unhappy, for there, in a book, you may find encouragement and comfort. A library is a good place to go when you feel bewildered or undecided, for there, in a book, you may have your question answered. Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people — people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.” ~E. B. White (Charlotte's Webb, Stuart Little) 

What are you reading?