consumer

There's something about coming to the end of a 500+ page book that always brings me to tears, so much so that it's hard to finish the last few pages. Not because of any tragedy in the book itself--although there's lots of room for births and deaths in the inches between those covers--but the tragedy of the book ending, like a break-up, a commitment you made during those hours between bed and sleep (even sometimes, a Saturday afternoon). Yes, you know it's coming; yes, you have plenty of warning; and yes, you can even skip ahead to find out how exactly it will end. None of this softens the blow.

One particularly fiesty student, in her two page letter to me, asserted: "Don't ask me to read aloud, because I probably read more than you." My initial reaction (oh--DO you now...) switched to confusion (how are those two things related?) and then doubt (maybe she's right). Even so.

So here's a partial list of the books I've read this summer, for my own self-assurance.

Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Mark Haddon
The House of the Scorpion, Nancy Farmer
Behind You, Jacqueline Woodson
Kissing Tennessee, Kathi Apelit
Heartbeat, Sharon Creech
A Writer's Notebook, Ralph Fletcher
What Was She Thinking?, Zoe Heller
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Chabon
Midnight in the Burned House, Margaret Atwood

***footnote: While looking for the author of The House of the Scorpion (which I liked and have often recommended), I found this 1 out of 5 stars Amazon review:

Horrible, August 17, 2004
Reviewer: Joey (NY)

"This is a horrible book. I hate it. I know 3 kids that read it and all of them hated it. My teacher recomended it but shes a wierdo. I think they should stop selling this book. Dont waste your money on this piece of crap."

The aforementioned fiesty student is borrowing THOTS this weekend. Guess that makes me Ms. Weirdo.