Summer Read

Do you like a nice light read to pick up now and then in the summer? Um...maybe you should skip reading today...
As corny as it sounds, I watched an Oprah special in the spring about Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth and, as usual, she made it irresistible to me. When I listen to someone talking about a book I become obsessed and must have it. I think about it until I read it and then do so voraciously. I actually try not to read because I'm too obsessive and nothing else gets done around here (I'm talking, no lunch, no laundry, no cleaning, just read, read, read!) It's my drug of choice.

I started Pillars the week we left for our camping trip and had it in my hand at all times. I carried it in my backpack during all those hikes I talked about, I packed it in a big ziplock during the canoe trip. I even set it next to the stove while I cooked. It's like crack to me.

Well, I finished all 973 pages in 7 days and was entranced the entire time. It has everything I look for in a book, murder, intrigue, unrequited love...I found it fascinating to read about everyday life in 12th century England and the process of building a wonderful cathedral. I was amazed at the corruption of the church and the lack of separation of church and state. The lives of nobility was as interesting as the lives of the peasants. I didn't want it to end, but alas, too soon it was over. I thought about it and mentioned it in conversation often and really, really cherished that book.

While visiting my mom this summer, I talked about it with my step-father and he told me it sounded like a book he'd loaned my husband to read over Christmas. Could it be?!? I went home and searched and lo and behold, I found World Without End part II set 200 years later!!! I couldn't believe my luck...Hubby, not so thrilled...


Same thing, only this time I obsessed at the beach and read everyday until my butt went numb. I turned page after page (1014 of them to be exact) and was just as drawn in as the first time. I can't say enough about these books, I love them more than any other 2000 pages I've ever read before. I wonder if there is part III hiding out there someplace?