"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few are to be chewed and digested." -Francis Bacon (www.readfaster.com)
Last week I discussed Harper Lee's new book, Go Set a Watchman, with its new characterization of our leading man, Atticus Finch. Do you plan to read the book? Why or why not? Sometimes it's good to read a book simply because we want to see what all of the buzz is about. The book is an easy read and I think you'll get something out of it. Lee's new book might also inspire you to reread her famous first book, To Kill a Mockingbird, so that you can refresh your memory of the events that occurred before the second book.
This week I'm reading another book by Mary Doria Russell, Doc. A few weeks ago I completed her novel, Epitaph: A Novel of the O.K. Corral. Since my mom loaned me both of the books, I decided to go ahead and read both of them. While Epitaph focuses on several different characters of the Wild West, Doc focuses on the person of Dr. John Henry Holliday, D.D.S., also known as Doc Holliday. We learn a lot about Doc in this book, some of which comes from legend and some from patient research by Russell. At the age of 21, Doc Holliday became ill with tuberculosis. After that time he became known as a sickly frail young man who coughed a lot. By the time he moved to Dodge City in 1878, Doc was a 26-year old dentist who wanted to become a prosperous dentist in a new cattle town in Kansas, but he seemed to make other activities higher on his priority list. For example, he spent much of his time gambling, drinking alcohol, and fighting. At the age of thirty he became famous for his part in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. I guess you could say that the Wild West changed Doc - if he had lived in more law-abiding towns he probably would have been more of a dental surgeon than a gambler, but he was influenced by the environment in which he lived. I haven't finished the book yet so I'm not going to discuss it at length here, but if you enjoy tales of the Wild West, you will like this book. Doc is somewhat different from the other books that I normally choose to read, but I'm enjoying it. I can't say that I'm enjoying it as much as All the Light We Cannot See, Orphan Train, or We'll Always Have Paris, but Russell's language flows smoothly and it's a good ride.
In looking back at my opening quote by Francis Bacon, what books have you read that you think should be chewed and digested? In earlier posts I've discussed the books that I would place in this category. The Bible should be digested, I believe, because it reveals to us how we can have purpose in life. It is the most important written communication that has ever been made available to us. That being said, there are many memoirs and novels that I have also enjoyed chewing on. I feel like my time has not been wasted when I read these books. I'm talking about great novels such as Uncle Tom's Cabin, The Poisonwood Bible, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Edgar Sawtelle, and The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street. These books make more than just a great story. They are rich in symbolism, irony, characterization, and thought-provoking themes. In a word, these novels make us think. There are some memoirs that I've enjoyed chewing on as well. I've enjoyed Haven Kimmel's books, A Girl Named Zippy, and She Got Up Off the Couch. I've enjoyed simple books such as Little Heathens and The Good Good Pig. Most of what I have been reading in the past few years are either novels, historical novels, or memoirs, and most of them have given me plenty to chew on
Here are the next ten books from my card catalog:
1. Pears on a Willow Tree by Leslie Pietrzyk
2. Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
3. A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink
4. The Gift of Asher Lev by Chaim Potok (I highly recommend both of these books by him.)
5. My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
6. Jesus the Teacher by J.M. Price
7. A Whole New Life by Reynolds Price (a local author)
8. Oh, Kentucky! by Betty Layman Receveur
9. Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl
10. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Have a great week, and keep on reading...
Melissa Hill
www,onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com
Amazon bookseller: M.C.H. Seller
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