It is a Miracle . . . maybe!

I wish I were a voracious, fast reader.  But I am not.  I like to read, but other things always seem to come first.  By the time I sit down to read, it't time for bed, so I don't get it done.  Book club has been wonderful because at least once a month, I have to read a book . . . usually one I would not have read otherwise.

That is why this month is a miracle.  I actually read 3 - yes 3 - books.  That is a far cry from the 19 that Diana read one Christmas . . . but for me it is amazing!

The first one was The Last Child in the Woods.  It is a sobering book for parents and educators about the need for children to experience the outdoors, despite dwindling opportunities to do so.  Free play, recess, unstructured sports, exploration are all important for the development of young brains, but increasingly, children remain inside and watch tv or play video games.  I think every educator of pre-school and elementary-age children should read this book, as should parents.  Our book club meets next Monday, and our neighbor, Rick Gaskill, will be there to discuss the book with us.  It should be a very interesting evening.

Spencer Quinn writes the funniest books about a dog, Chet, his master and private eye, Bernie, and their adventures solving mysteries.  Mr. Quinn writes from Chet's perspective, and his books make me laugh.  I read the third one and there are still two more.  They are starting to become too similar and I am not sure I will get to the others very quickly, but they are a quick, fun read.  I love brainless mysteries!

Several summers ago, Kathy Dunlavy and I went to a course on the Bronte sisters.  We read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, but I never got around to reading Agnes Grey.  I decided the other day to read it so that I could get the large book off my book shelf.  (The book's cover, however, is beautiful, so I may decide to keep it . . . but now I can do so because I want it, not because I still have to finish it.)  I have to say that it was a delightful read.  All three books were very different, but Agnes is much more likable than some of the characters in the other books, and because it was short, the story didn't plod along.  I can say I am glad I read all three, and if I had to choose, I probably would say Jane Eyre was my favorite with Agnes Grey not far behind.

Anyway, I doubt that I will keep up this pace, but it was fun for the month of January (and a little into February!).