Books in Summer

The reading fare has been rather skimpy over the summer or to sound more intellectual, the books I read were big fat tomes of non-fiction which included biographies of the American Adams’ family (of presidential fame, not the comic strip), the rescue of Jews in Denmark written by an eminent Danish historian Bo Lidegaard, an anthology of philosophers and a few novels including Willa Cathers’ “O’ Pioneers” and Donna Tartt’s “The Little Friend”.  This last I have only just begun but like her other two novels it is very “unputdownable”. 

I have this image of other people laying in darling hammocks under wonderful spreading oak trees reading great novels all summer long but for myself I much prefer laying in my bed with pillows propped up under my head and shoulders, my trusty reading lamp turned on, and me just peacefully reading.  When I read outdoors I find the glare of the sun on the page most irritating and the sounds of all nature around me highly distracting.  It isn’t long before I put down my book and start down a path to weed the flower bed or scoop grunge out of the fishpond.  Outdoors is for outdoorsy things and reading belongs indoors in a quiet place away from all distractions.  Or so I say.

I cannot imagine life without books and I pity those people who can’t find pleasure in reading.  While I am sure many people have pity on those of us who find perhaps too much joy in sticking their nose into a book I can only say “try it, you might like it”.  For sure there is balance in all things and it is indeed joyous to work outdoors during the good summertime but since I really, really dislike the cold I find snuggling with a book so much more fun than wading through snow while my cheeks are bitten raw by a Nor’wester.  As an afterthought when I am reading I am so absorbed that I rarely feel a craving for food.  And that is a bonus!

I already have a pleasurably high stack of books awaiting the winter season sitting primly on my nightstand.  Alright, not so primly but rather jumbled in various sizes, angles and conditions.  But oh, do they ever look inviting!  Let the reading commence.