A few weeks ago upon returning home, I scored a jackpot at the Salvation Army. 6 books for 3 bucks! It felt like Christmas. If Christmas were to feel like getting a whole lot of things you want (which I guess it shouldn't just be about that. But, anyways)...
Right now I'm reading this little gem:
I'm reading his travelogue about his jaunt through Europe, recreating his first trip there when he was in his twenties and seeing how things have changed, in order to somewhat excape my Asia-tracked mind. I want to know about other things. I want to know that somewhere in the world an old lady is sitting by La Rive Seine drinking wine and wearing a summer scarf and chances are she doesn't give two hoots the amount of Amer.ican debt Chi.na holds or the state of Ameri.can diplomacy in Asia. There is so much...else. And I get to go there in books. Isn't that a great thing?
Though I'm reading this novel as escape-lit, much of what witty Bill says resonates with me. He describes the travel experience gloriously. I particularly love this:
"I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything. Suddenly you are five years old again. You can't read anything, you have only the most rudimentary sense of how things work, you can't even reliably cross the street without endangering your life. Your whole existence becomes a series of interesting guesses" (pg 36).
Bill, dude, I get you.
Thank you, random person who donated your book to Salvation Army!
What are you reading lately? I need more book recommendations to take back with me for the coming year (I have to buy english novels in bulk before I leave again)...
Walk Slow. xoxo.
3 comments:
Check out my books at http://www.librarything.com/catalog/HannahL
I have a feeling you would like a book called, Wanderlust: A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit. :)
I love hearing about what other people are reading! Thanks for sharing. I'm reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." So I don't love it as much as everyone else. But I'm only 80 pages in and mostly all they've talked about is some financial crises so I don't get most of it. I'll let you know if it's worth reading when I'm done!
o0o0oh thanks Han, I'll look that one up! And Rae- I read that one this summer. I didn't really understand what all the hype was about either - until after I finished I couldn't think for 3 days because it affected me so much. It gets good. I bought the second one but need a litle time in between - it's shocking stuff.
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