In the beginning...

...there were The Flyaways, a family who traveled in their miraculous flying machine having daring adventures with Goldilocks and Cinderella. The first in the 3-book series by Alice Dale Hardy was published by Grosset and Dunlap in 1925 and copies are almost extinct. Few people remember Ma and Pa, Tommy and Susie Flyaway now.

I became acquainted with them on my grandfather's lap, my dear Grandpa Baker who read and read and read to me every evening for as many years as I can remember. I would hold my breath as each chapter ending neared, hoping he would not stop. I would keep begging for "just one more" chapter until his voice got so hoarse I would have to run to his room to get his throat lozenges.

Over the years we covered all of Uncle Wiggly and Honey Bunch, the Bobbsey Twins, the Five Little Peppers, the Wind in the Willow series, some of them more than once. He read to me until long after I could read everything for myself, until I was into Beverly Gray, Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. I was safe and happy snuggled up on the couch with him and that feeling has never left me. I still read and read and read, and it still makes me feel safe and happy.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

November drags on

Boy, this tattoo business has really cut down on my reading time. I'm going to tattoo Lauren's butterfly today. It is raining and dreary. Eli doesn't even want to go out. The siding guys just picked up their tools and left. I guess there's no work going on today. It's a good reading day.

The Last Child was a good one, my daughter particularly loved it, with an out-of-the-ordinary plot, interesting characters and action, a good cop, bad cop, abusive lover, a messed up teenager, an abducted 12-year old, a little love story and pedophilia, if you can stomach that.

I also read the newest Sara Paretsky, Hardball, which is a V.I. Warshawski, mixing politics, a civil rights murder and a black man who has been missing since the 60's, who Vic is searching for on behalf of his dying aunt. Paretsky is one of those writers who do not continuously churn out popcorn books, which leads to more thoughtful plots and descriptions. And smaller print. Not good for reading in bed.

Now reading about a bombing in the Mall of America with heroine Maggie O'Donnell, which I am enjoying, although I find the short chapters and back and forth settings a little disconcerting. Maybe I'll get back under the covers this afternoon and try to finish it. I have a real pileup of books waiting for me. Brought home Three Cups of Tea on the strong recommendation of Suzanne.
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