I am reading a book called The Elegance of the Hedgehog.
I bought it because it had a cute cover which I had seen on the shelves at various
bookstores for over a year. The book has scads of glowing reviews.
The premise is intriguing.






Chubby autodidact hides her intellegence while 12 year old girl hides her smarts and plans to kill herself.
Japanese man enters the picture and .....

I don't know what happens yet.

Here's the deal. I think the author is showing off.

Do you remember the chapter in Beloved where you do not know what is going on for about four pages?
I've already read a few chapters like this in this book.
Perhaps this is a writing technique to show just how smart the characters are. I suppose that's it.
Well. She got her point across but it is very unpleasant to read, for me at least.

I would prefer a good parts version of this story.

Because, believe it or not, I have finally reached a good part on page 129.

The young girl is journaling again and for once she says something I wanted to listen to; it was her profound thought no. 8.






This reading is for my sisters and friends who grew up listening to me read aloud.
Tomorrow I shall read from Seventeenth Summer when Angie and Jack share their first kiss on the third date on a dew covered hill at the golf course.
(and if I was in charge of Hollywood, I would make Seventeenth Summer into a movie. Bare toes in the garden and all.)

It's been a long time coming....but the reading aloud has arrived at Quiet Life.
It's my personal Everest.



***


Here is a song that was never super popular but I heard something yesterday that reminded me of it....




A lovely day.
~bill withers




just one look at you
and I know it's going to be
a lovely day...