There was once a Twilight Zone episode wherein a bookworm type man (I don’t remember if he owned a bookstore or was a librarian - NO! he had some job and would steal time to read.  He’d read at lunch, going home, he’d rush through dinner with his wife (who HATED the books) all his life he was stealing time to read) somehow lived through a nuclear blast (he was in a basement of something) or some type of blast that killed everyone.  After the shock of what had happened passed, he realized he was alone.  No obligations, no job, no wife, nothing to keep him from books.  He rushed to the library and brought stacks upon stacks of books out.  He had stacks piled over the steps (I think).  He began to read (and this, obviously was his heaven on earth) and you could see the incredible joy with which he looked forward to life - he had all the time in the world to read.  (I won’t give away the ending because it is simply rotten and I’ve rewritten it in my head anyway so the TV ending simply doesn’t apply).  I have always identified with that man; that if left alone on a desert island, I’d forgo food for books. 

Since we are now living the life of leisure and have no obligations (other than the boys and my pants that I need to patch - and I mean really, that is ALL I have on my list that can be done here in Mexico) has left me with oodles of time to read.  I picked up a number of books at thriftstores in CA and when Barnes and Noble had books for 1.99, I picked up some there too.  I’ve had a wonderful time reading and feel like an adult again.  I’ve found that the "Oprah Book Club" books are really incredibly worthwhile.  When browsing books to pick from, those really are a sure choice for quality material.  I’ve read some classics, some history, some historical novels, lots of fiction.  Birds Without Wings .  My dad picked this up, and since I loved his other selections, "Life of Pi", "Pompeii", and "The daVinci Code" I gave it a shot.  The shot started in the evening and ended at 3:30am.  :)   I got 3 hours sleep that night and my immune system is screaming obscenities from that, but it was a fascinating book.  It covered WWI from (now this is going to sound really dry, but it was not the least bit dry) the Middle Eastern POV.  The style was one I’ve never come across before but it worked.  Although much of the novel (it is a historical novel) took place during WWI, it was only referenced through history and the characters.  I’m really not doing this book justice.  I learned about Muslim history and religion, the history of Turkey, Greece and the Ottoman Empire.  It is history told through the lives of a small village in what became Turkey.  This is a disturbing book and one scene in particular is especially disturbing, but it gives a fascinating and eye-opening look at history.  My description sounds terribly dry but it really is incredibly readable.  One of those "can’t put it down" books.  NPR reviewed it; hopefully they did a much better job than I when they described it.

Another historical novel I loved is "Coldwater".  Much lighter and fascinating how the author wove factual history throughout his characters.  Right now I’m reading "Fall on Your Knees" by Anne Marie McDonald and the prose is absolutely beautiful.  The boys have a new author that they love, Cornelia Funke .  She is one of the most popular European authors and I think she might be second or third to JK Rowling.  She wrote "Inkheart" and "The Theif Lord" and now we’re working on her newest (thanks Aunty Chris for the book).  The boys are 8 and 10 and I highly recommend them.  (both the boys and the book :) )

Once again, the pictures have nothing to do with the post.  A tearful wave to Andrew from the boys; they miss him terribly.  I’m so glad they have each other or we might not have been able to leave the Bay Area.