why we read

I was reading into the night. This time it was The Saffron Kitchen by Yasmin Crowther. I listen to what people have to say, and this book came recommended by a colleague. And I was not surprised at how easily I was drawn into this book, with no sense that I was just wasting my time.
I hate that, when I'm into a book about 50 pages or more and I think, what am I doing with my time? Each of us has our own reasons for reading. It may be to enlarge our world, or experiences, to find a kindred soul who is adept at putting into words the feelings we have, therefore validating them. It may be for educational reasons. I want to understand a situation, an event or just learn how to do something. Sometimes it's a great story. I also read for humor. If I can find a funny story or read a funny memoir then it is worth my time. Laughter is very important to me.
Do I need another person to validate my feelings? No, but sometimes just the way another person can say it or write it somehow helps me to remember, or to value the thought or experience. I have read many books on the experience of living or caring for a person with dementia. At first I thought I should record all the craziness that was happening, but I didn't. Time was short, or too awful to dwell on. But I do understand when someone else has written it down for me to read, and maybe to understand a little more. I never can forget Nancy Reagan saying that Alzheimer's is like a "long goodbye", and that is it exactly. In the beginning there was humor, and gentleness, and lack of stress on the person who was sick. But it can go on and on and become the truly nightmare that it is. There is such a thing as living too long. The suffering takes its toll on everyone. And it often kills the spouse.
Back to The Saffron Kitchen. The story is told through the eyes of the mother and daughter. Mother is an Iranian English immigrant. The daughter is born in England, with an English dad. The story jumps back and forth in time, and from each different perspective. There is some history, the mother comes to age during the Iranian revolution. She is forced to leave her family. Can we really understand another culture? No, but we try.

Listening Pleasure

After I finished listening and reading the Face on the Milk Carton I wondered why the book has such a similarity to The Stone Diaries. Was it because the narrator was the same? Well, I guessed right. Alyssa Brenahan narrated both books, so the "voices" of the two books seemed similar to me. Both books were written in first person. I am able to read more books with the audio format available today. i am able to listen while I drive to work, and I have been doing this since 1993 when I had a 45 minute commute. Thankfully I don't have to drive as much today, but I am still grateful for the books i can listen to. I will learn yet how to put a book onto an mp3 player. i have downloaded the books from the elibrary onto the computer. Amazing world. Can't keep up.

The Bastard of Istanbul

This novel was published in 2007. I liked the way the story evolves and the characters are tied together at the end. The author, Elif Shafaf, is getting attention as a Turkish novelist of the acclaim of Orhan Pamuk. I will try to read something of his. Shafaf was tried in Turkey for using the term genocide with regard to the Armenian massacre that occurred in the early twentieth century. It certainly brings our attention to the historical events in Turkey that is not common knowledge. Downplayed, probably because so much horrific events have shadowed this particular one. Is this the first case of genocide carried out by a government?

Library kitty

This was found the other day while I was browsing on a library blog on cataloging I think.

Challenged books

I am listening to "The Face on the Milk Carton" by Caroline Cooney. It was on the list published by ALA(American Library Association)of the most challenged books from 1990 - 2000 reported to the ALA. www.ala.org.org A girl of sixteen sees her own face on the milk carton at school and faces the fact that she may have been kidnapped by her own parents when she was just three. Well told, vivid description of her feelings, thoughts, and "daymares" as she finds her memory coming back to her in bits and pieces. It is the first of a trilogy of stories by the same author. I wonder if Caroline Cooney writes under another name in adult fiction. As I am listening I am reminded of Carol Shields book, "The Stone Diary". I usually do not like to read a book written in the first person, but I like the way this is written. I especially like the language that is used. It is quite different and almost poetic.

Letterboxing

Just for fun try your hand at letterboxing. Look for Book Bunch's new letterbox at the following website. www.atlasquest.com

Friday Night Knitting Club

I'm into a new book, a novel by Kate Jacobs. "Friday Night Knitting Club" published by J.P. Putnam, 2007. It is the author's first novel. The basic story line in about the friendship between some women in New York City whose only connection is the local yarn shop owned by a single mother, Georgia Walker. Georgia has a daughter, Dakota, who figures into the story as a thirteen year old who is just coming into her own as she shares her talents as a cook-entrepreneur. She meets her father for the first time and starts a relationship with him that shakes up Georgia's world. All members of the Friday night knitting club have their own challenges and detours, and together it makes for an interesting book. In addition to reading this for the last few weeks, I'm listening to "Year of Pleasures" by Elizabeth Berg. A widow begins a new life in a new town and cherishes her new life and her old memories. As I listen along I am surprised by the beautiful description or enlightenment, and I want to rush to the printed word and underline the profound parts. Over the years I would find myself copying out favorite parts of books onto 3x5 cards...to savor. That's what I want to do right now. Memorize a special part of the books that states an idea in just the right way, an insight that I never quite heard it put that way. I want to own the book and write notes into the margins and then I'll be onto another book that excites me in quite another way. Ah... the words and how they speak to me. This is why I read...to see life from a new vision, a new perspective, and relate this to my own experience.