The Pleasure of Starting to Read a New Book

You know the feeling I'm talking about... you crack open a book, you start reading, and within seconds, you know it's GONNA BE WONDERFUL. Now, that's what I call pleasure.

I'vejust started reading Louis Sachar's The Cardturner. The beginning was so delightful I couldn't resist reading it out loud to my husband: "Ever since I was a little kid, I've had it drilled into me that my uncle Lester was my favorite uncle. My mother would thrust the phone at me and say, 'Uncle Lester wants to talk to you,' her voice infused with the same forced enthusiasm she used to describe the deliciousness of canned peas. 'Tell him you love him.'" If you're like me, you can almost see the narrator, and his mom, too, even though so far, we've had no physical description. That's how good writing works.

Because I met Louis Sachar when he was in Montreal earlier this summer, I have the added pleasure of hearing his voice when I read his work. 

I don't know about you, but having a good book to read makes everything else okay. And thank goodness, there's an endless supply of books! 

I meant to save The Cardturner for when I leave on vacation next week... but oh well, now I've begun it and there's no way I can wait till I'm on the airplane to continue.

I'm off to Holland and France. And if you know me, you know that I'll be working on a story. My friend Janet and I are going to a cooking school in Nice, France -- and I'm going to write up our adventures for The Gazette's food pages. I'll be sure to post a link when the story is published later in August. Okay, time to get back to The Cardturner!