I made a major mistake with this book...I thought I could read it in public.
I'm not quite sure what I was thinking, given that I've read Tuesdays with Morrie. I KNOW how heart breaking his books can be. YET, I read it in public.
There was no flat out break down, but there was a lot of deep breaths and staring off into the distance to get back under control. And some tissues to blot my eyes. And blow my nose...BUT no one came and asked me why I was breaking down in public, so that's totally a win, right?
The book begins with Eddie, our main character, dying, but we're not done there. He goes on to meet five people on his journey to his own heaven, (everyone has a pocket heaven, which is very C.S. Lewis in my mind) while we go back into his life and see what was left behind.
It was wonderful. It hurt, but it was one of those wonderful hurts that comes with a great story. I recommend you read it...but not in public. Or your tissues will be getting a public workout.
I also have read J.D. Salinger's Nine Stories.
Which are these stories:
"A Perfect Day for Bananafish" (1948)
"Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut" (1948)
"Just Before the War with the Eskimos" (1948)
"The Laughing Man" (1949)
"Down at the Dinghy" (1949)
"For Esmé – with Love and Squalor" (1950)
"Pretty Mouth and Green My Eyes" (1951)
"De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period" (1952)
"Teddy" (1953)
I will also admit that this book reminded me (at least the first few stories) reminded me a bit more Kurt Vonnegut and his Slaughterhouse-Five than Salinger's Catcher in the Rye.
I loved it though.
I just started The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (which was apparently the must-read book of 2006-oops!) and it's lovely so far. (Or as lovely as books about WW2 Germany can ever be)
On a related note, I will be giving away Tiny Fey's Bossypants for World Book Night USA. Yay!
http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/books/2013
So go educate yourself. Pick up one of these books.
Yay reading.
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