It's been over two months since my last post, but definitely not that long since I've read. "So Long, See You Tomorrow" by William Maxwell was my favorite in that time. It's a very sad and compelling story that unravels in the 1920s. One of the character's names is Cletus. That alone is a good enough reason for me to read it, yes it's weird for me to okay a book simply on a name, but hey, I do what I want. I don't want to reveal any of the plot because it's so heartbreaking, but for those of you who don't have time to read a 500-page novel, this is the one for you because it's only 134 pages and the font is pretty big. So there you have it, no excuses.
One paragraph that really stood out to me and sums up this story is when Clarence was realizing how all these problems going on in his life affected him even if he had nothing to do with it and that was a horrible situation to be in. He thought,
"People neither get what they deserve nor deserve what they get. The gentle and the trusting are trampled on. The rich man usually forces his way through the eye of the needle, and there is little or no point in putting your faith in Divine Providence." I am sure everyone has thought this at one time or another in their life, it's part of being human. The important thing however, is to get up and start over again. There is hope and mercy for all, it's just up to you to receive it.
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| Nice, France |
My next five star is "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey. It's a pretty intense book on drug and alcohol addiction/recovery and if you know me at all you know I am drawn into those kinds of stories. I started reading it on my way to Nice, France and didn't read the whole week I was there (we were constantly up to something and I didn't want to miss out on one second of anything going on around me) but once I returned home I had a hard time putting it down. Although I have never been an addict to illegal substances, I have had my share of being dependent on prescribed medications (especially after surgeries) and I know what it feels like to have to come off of them. In that slight way this book feels familiar to me. This is my B book- blunt, brusque, and brutal. I would only recommend it to those who have had encounters with these sorts of situations... otherwise, it just causes disgust and judgement rather than compassion and empathy.
I read something that I would NEVER read... "Maus I & II" by Art Spiegelman. This got a one star from me. I wanted to stretch myself and so I chose this book which is really just a loooong cartoon. The story would have been a lot better for me if there were only words and not illustrations with mice and pigs. My brain just doesn't follow those things easily.
"Bossy Pants" by Tina Fey was quite a funny book. I laughed and enjoyed the majority of her humor. It was a sort-of biography, but mainly about how she got to where she is today. It's a easy read, I think I finished it in 2 days. Good book to read on the train.
Coming up next is "9 Stories" by J.D. Salinger and "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver.
p.s. I am starting up my photography website soon so stay tuned!!!
