Susan here
– realizing we're already nearing the end of summer (scarcely believable),
and many of us are busy with homes, families, vacations, work, and just trying to eke that last
little bit of summer out of the days. So let's take a short blog break today and play
a reading game, something we like to do now and then here in Wenchland.
What Are You Reading Today?
I’m sure, like me, you’re in the
midst of reading several books at once in a range of
genres — fiction and nonfiction . . . . so please mention tell us about more than one book if you like.
Now, pick up a book (or e-book) that you're currently reading, and go to page 44. (if it’s an e-book, tap through to any screen). Choose a sentence or two – and if you would be so kind, type that into the Comments area, including book title and author, to share with us.
I love the endless variations in what we’re reading -- and I love a quick peek inside books that I might not have found otherwise. It's like a browse through a bookstore. And since this is a game, there's a prize. I'll send an autographed copy of one of my historical romances to a winner chosen at random from the comments area.
I’m reading more than one book, so here are a few samplings:
Page 44 of The One and Only Ivan by
Katherine Applegate
(I love this YA story, as told by a sideshow gorilla):
Sometimes Julia draws me. I am an elegant fellow in her pictures, with my silver back gleaming like moon on moss. I never look angry, the way I do on the fading billboards by the highway.
I always look a bit sad, though.
Page 44
of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan
Cain (very interesting look at introverts -- I'm decidedly one, so I'm learning a lot...)
“Good
luck finding an introvert around here,” says one.
“This
school is predicated on extroversion,” adds the other. “Your grades and social
status depend on it. It’s just the norm here. Everyone around you is speaking
up and being social and going out.”
“Isn’t
there anyone on the quieter side?” I ask.
They look
at me curiously. “I couldn’t tell you,” says the first student dismissively.
Page 44
of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (a compelling read that keeps us unsure who's who and for what reason)
We made small talk, the cops and I, about the July Fourth fireworks and the weather, while my hands were tested for gunshot residue and the slick inside of my cheek was cotton-tipped. Pretending it was normal, a trip to the dentist.
And lastly . . . I plucked an older book off the shelf the other day, after hearing the news of the death of Barbara Mertz -- Barbara Michaels and Elizabeth Peters -- who gave us so many wonderful books. She left an incredible legacy behind. As a longtime fan, I am forever grateful that she devoted so much of her life to writing.
Page 44 of Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters (a great book by a great lady):
Emerson's jaw dropped. "Good God," he said. "A woman with an enquiring mind. Is it possible?"
Your turn! What are YOU reading just now, and what's on page 44?
There could be a giveaway book in it for you -- we could all use another book, right? :)
Susan