September 9, 2007
Reading – 20 Things at Once
So I think I’m reading at least twenty books right now. Some Maria Tatar stuff on fairy tales. The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property, which is nowhere near as sexy but far more tantalizing intellectually that it might sound from the title. Then I’m reading Ted Kooser’s book on poetry writing. Plus I just finished The Golden Compass in anticipation of the movie. And that just scratches the surface of the ever more precarious pile of things beside my bed.
And the best part of all of these things is that no matter what I read it seems to connect to something else I’m reading. It’s great. It’s like books have synapses that fire between them, each book a neuron. It’s beautiful. Happy Reading!
Filed by Andi at 6:27 pm under Book Recommendations
2 Comments
I’m glad someone else reads 20 books at once. I get a favorite book by an author, and read everything I can find. Jodi Picoult, for instance. I’m working my way through all of them. Because I’m going to Japan in 4 weeks, I’m reading all of I.J. Parker’s historical novels of feudal Japan, as well as the trilogy, Tales of the Otori. Loved American Fuji – Andi you might enjoy as this is about teaching there.
Also I treasure a book I brought home from Hawaii last week, IZ – on the short life of Hawaii’s revered singer Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. His music brings tears.
And my favorite book of all time, that I re-read every few years, The Power of One, by Bruce courtenay. Funny, tragic, heart-wrenching and inspiring.
The Golden Compass! I read the Dark Materials trilogy a few years ago and it did something that I’m sure Phillip Pullman wouldn’t approve of–it gave me a metaphor to think more clearly about God and the incarnation. I won’t tell you what it is because I don’t know if you’ve read the whole trilogy, but they’re brilliant books. Love them.