Right now, my upstairs book is The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family
. My downstairs book is The Scarpetta Factor
. My classroom book is Where the Red Fern Grows
, which I've read a hundred times and still love. And, like I said, Olive Kitteridge has been my car book for a bit so that when I have to go pick Addie up from practice (or when I'm stuck at really long red lights) I have something to do.
I think I ate something funky over the weekend, so let's just say that I went home sick under less than ideal circumstances with many a stop at random gas stations along the way. I'm feeling much better now, which is why I think (I hope) it was just, like, something ingested (or something that my pancreas wasn't thrilled about ... Chuck E. Cheese pizza? Perhaps) instead of a bug. But I'm way off track ...
Yeah, the point is that I brought Olive Kitteridge inside to read while I convalesced, and just totally lost myself in it.
When I was in high school, I saw Grace Metalious' Peyton Place (Hardscrabble Books-Fiction of New England)
on a library shelf. Although I'd heard many a sordid reference to it, I'd never read it. Needless to say, I got down to business and totally submersed myself in a world that was all too familiar.Although I grew up on the New Hampshire seacoast, where we have more in common with Bostonians than the small town, stereotypical, "Ayuh"-stating hick, I am familiar with those small towns. Metalious had it down cold. As did Stephen King in Salem's Lot
, John Irving to a certain degree, and Elizabeth Strout with the truly amazing Olive Kitteridge.I'm not a book reviewer or anything, but I find it amazing when authors are able to capture the nuances of a region with such skill. It's like driving north a few towns, going into the general store, and bumping into some real characters ... totally relatable!
.JPG)
That is the sign of good research and/or detailed knowledge. A book I've just read and reviewed called 'Rivers of London' gives the same feel for Covent Garden and the various parts of London the characters go to.
ReplyDeleteIt really adds something to a book when the writer can describe an area so well.
A book in every room! You are very organised being able to read several at once.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read a really good book that captures my imagination, I tend to take it with me wherever I go..... because I need to read just one more chapter to see what happens......
Maggie X
Nuts in May
I tend to read novels which are set in Britain because I understand the places , culture and people (even though Canada has been my home for 21yrs).
ReplyDeleteI read Salem's Lot about 1980/1...scared the life out of me!
Jane x
I'm impressed! I can't read more than one book at a time. I can't even start a new one if I have another one that I'm reading, but can't find. lol!
ReplyDeleteI love when an author captures the essence of a region. I was shocked when I read a book centered in my hometown! A little corner of So. Cal. that pretty much no one has ever heard of.
It shocked me even more while reading it because the author had BEEN there, talking about the layout (locations), etc. It was TOO cool! : )