Things have been kind of hectic around here lately, so although I’ve been reading books, I’m just now getting around to writing about them. Today also marks the one month ‘anniversary’ of working at the library, and I have to say, I’m really enjoying it. I love not being in a corporate setting, not being tied to a computer all day long, and of course, the books! Being an aide definitely isn’t rocket science, but I was surprised at the volume of all the policies and procedures. One of my duties is to check in the books that have come in, and I am amazed at the number of people who must be reading books in the bathtub, as there are books constantly coming in with water damage. And my biggest pet peeve so far are people who write in books – as someone who keeps my personal collection in pristine condition, I’m amazed and appalled at people who think it’s OK to write in something that doesn’t even belong to them. Pencil marks are bad enough, since I have to sit there and erase them, but pen – and worse, highlighter! – just astound me.
So, the first book I read lately was Sand Dollar Summer, which I’d selected to write a review on, and I’m glad I did. It’s the story of a young girl, Annalise, and her mute brother, Free, who, after their mother is seriously injured in a car accident, return to the Maine island where their mother grew up. Annalise is a spunky, smart 12 year old, who, along with the situation she and her family face, reminded me of some of Judy Blume’s characters. This is Annalise’s first encounter with the ocean, and its enormity and wildness scares her. The new environment she’s thrown into, and the changes she notices in her mother, make for a emotionally tumultuous summer. When a hurricane threatens to destroy the new life they’ve made on the island, the family’s Newfoundland dog, Babe, helps save the day – so it was nice to see the Newfies represented!
The other book I read was The Kite Runner, which I’d received as part of a BookCrossing bookring. I’d seen and heard about this book for months, but had put off reading it, owing to the hype surrounding it, which tends to turn me off a book anyway, and to be honest, the book description just gave me a lukewarm reaction to it. Wow, was I wrong. This is a great, great book, and one of my favorite reads this year. It’s written from the perspective of Amir, a well-to-do Afghani boy growing up amidst the turmoil of his country, as his peaceful childhood is torn apart by war, violence, and his own personal actions. Amir has grown up with Hassan, a Hazara boy who, along with his father, are servants to Amir and his father. After a terrible betrayal, Amir and his father flee their war-ravaged country for America, where they have to deal with new realities. The book is both a inside look into modern-day Afghanistan, and the personal story of one man coming to terms with his own past. It’s a sad, funny, wonderful book that I would recommend wholeheartedly. In the back of the book there’s a promo for a new book by the author called Dreaming in Titanic City, and I can’t wait to read it.
