I have a date with Katniss Everdeen. I have broken my date with her many times, and each time I do, I feel bad, but I just can't bring myself to visit with her again. I am afraid that whatever happens to Katniss and her wonderful supporting cast of characters, it is going to make me cry like a baby.
For those of you who have not met Katniss, she is the heroine of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. It is a series for young adults, and it has taken the world by storm. I read the first book, The Hunger Games, for my book club, and it prompted one of our best discussions in months. The second book, Catching Fire, came with me on an international flight, and I carefully hid my tears while I devoured it on the 18-hour plane ride.
You would think that when Mockingjay (the third book in the series) arrived, I would turn off everything and dig in. But something is holding me back. The series is simply fantastic - original, creative, and well written - and both uplifting and heartbreaking by turn. It translates beyond a young adult novel into just good literature. It will be so hard to say goodbye to this fabulous group of characters, and to Katniss in particular. I will miss her terribly, and that is biggest reason why I keep breaking my date with this fascinating young woman. For now, Mockingjay sits on my coffee table, until I am ready begin the journey towards saying farewell.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
"The Wave," or, Facing Your Fears
It is fitting that my first blog entry should be about a book that scares the bejeezus out of me. I have long wanted to start a blog about reading - my favorite books, what I want to read, books that haunt me - well, you get the idea. Since I am already diving straight into the deep end, why not write about a book whose very subject matter fills me with anxiety?
The Wave, written by Susan Casey, is nonfiction, but don't let that fool you - it's like a juicy beach book. Casey's writing style is easy, engaging and filled with suspense. How can a nonfiction book be a page turner? Casey's stories of giant waves, surfers who ride them, and sailors who have survived them is like stepping straight into a horror movie. I won't lie, there is science, history, and the threat of global warming in this book too. But for the most part, it is such a thrilling and terrifying look at monstrous walls of water and the havoc they bring that it is hard to put down. For someone like me who is terrified of tidal waves, each turn of the page brings me to a new level of dread...but like the proverbial train wreck, I can't look away.
Such it is with the blog. I finally reached the point where it was time to face my fear of having people read what I write, and all the scrutiny that will come with it. I hope you will enjoy this journey with me.
The Wave, written by Susan Casey, is nonfiction, but don't let that fool you - it's like a juicy beach book. Casey's writing style is easy, engaging and filled with suspense. How can a nonfiction book be a page turner? Casey's stories of giant waves, surfers who ride them, and sailors who have survived them is like stepping straight into a horror movie. I won't lie, there is science, history, and the threat of global warming in this book too. But for the most part, it is such a thrilling and terrifying look at monstrous walls of water and the havoc they bring that it is hard to put down. For someone like me who is terrified of tidal waves, each turn of the page brings me to a new level of dread...but like the proverbial train wreck, I can't look away.
Such it is with the blog. I finally reached the point where it was time to face my fear of having people read what I write, and all the scrutiny that will come with it. I hope you will enjoy this journey with me.
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