indiana territory

USED BOOKS

Now, we could have gone up into the attic or deep into a closet, but I decided to introduce a couple of my grandchildren to pre-read (to use the new used car lingo) books at a second-hand book store. Friday afternoon, shortly after school was out for the week, we went down to Sinclair Books on Main Street. I can't remember the address, but it's a couple of stores up from the Strand and The Floor Store - in that area.

I am looking for a copy of The Source by James Michener and the library doesn't have one. Neither did Sinclair Books, but that is not surprising since Michener's books are usually passed around and read until the almost fall apart. I think when people happen on one in at a rummage sale or in a thrift shop, they tend to buy it, take it home and keep it there for when there is a "need."

Michener is quite a storyteller on several levels and sometimes when one is worried or troubled it is nice to slip into his narrative and just relax with the "you are there" type of feeling. There is this one part in The Source where an engineer is guiding the building of an ancient tunnel. They started at both ends, digging toward each other - they hoped. Step by step you follow them until they finally do meet, with only the smallest of error.

I like to read that part when I can't sleep at night. Sometimes I dip into Chesapeake and Centennial and Texas, not to mention Hawaii.

But anyway, they didn't have it. However, my grandson came across a paperback editions of The Fugitive and The Godfather.

I think these will be good reading experiences for him because in both he knows the plot and story and can see the characters and, secondly, because Mario Puzo is a very good author.

Usually, I like to be able to put my own faces to the characters in a book, but sometimes it is nice when you are delving into serious reading after years of computer and Nintendo games to have a hook to hang your hat on.

On the other hand, I liked the movie version of The Horse Whisperer much better than the book. I remember some years ago when I was swimming often at the YMCA, I would talk to Betty Jones about books and I expressed my intense dislike of the character of Annie. Betty told her husband Jim, who has now passed away, and he said that he hadn't liked her either. And Betty said, "But Jody HATES her." I really was upset with what she put that injured horse through.

So who does the "Annie character" wind up with? Robert Redford - go figure.


The fire is going in the fireplace and the snow is falling outside, catching on the branches of the bushes in front . . . and I guess I'll tuck my legs up under me on the corner of the sofa and read.

posted by Jody @ 10:52 AM