Nov 6th, 2009

As I am reading the 7th book of the Outlander series, "An Echo in the Bone", I have to marvel at the work and creativity that goes into this book. It is amazing for it's depth of details and for it's ability to take me away into the journey and also to remind me of details that happened in prior books. What I have found fascinating is that I can be reading a scene and then have a flood of memories, like seeing a flashback. Snippets and flashes of scenes from a previous book or whole scenarios that come flooding or trickling in. I cannot always recollect from which book these scenes take place, but they are like a familiar friend and I feel a sense of comfort in knowing they are still with me.

This thought of having a blog has been rattling around in my head for about a week or so. and it may only be thoughts and reviews of books I have been reading, because I read alot, or they may turn into something more, but I have felt a pull to put some of my thoughts down and decided to do it.

I read all the time and I read alot! I can generally read 2-3 books a week. I read all kinds and I would try anything once :) . Why I wanted to blog thoughts about books is that I sometimes loose so much details and even the essence of a book by plowing thru books at this high rate. I know I enjoyed it and I sometimes I can even recall it enough to recommend it to a friend. But I have had the time or two when someone said, "Oh, I really like that book______ you recommended." And I say, "Wonderful, now remind me what the book was about."

Maybe by jotting down thoughts and impressions, I can have these things that are important at the time, stick in my brain longer than 5 minutes.

So back to "An Echo in the Bone".......

Jamie and Claire are coming to life again for me and I now am remembering why I enjoyed them so. They are hardworking and full of determination. The essence of their lives are rich and fascinating, because they are living the early settlements of America with all the hardship and strife. The characters are well developed and diverse. I love the Gallic and wish there was voice translation so I can hear the deep timber of Jamie's accent.

As of today I am on page 134 and I started it on 11/3/09. I will post the end date here too, (I hope).

I find time to fit all my reading in to my life by waking up at 4:55 am each morning, to a cuppa tea (english style) or a cup of coffee and a book. I read for 30 min or so and then start the morning routine. (waking kids and schlepping them each to school). I work from home, so I do not have a commute, which means more reading time before work :o) Then I sometimes can sneak in another 30 min at lunch or before picking up a kid from school. Then maybe more here and there, but the bulk of my time is at night where I barely ever watch TV. I spend 1 or 2 hours reading.

So, Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to read I go. Well to have a little time for Jamie and Claire tonight, I will be signing off now.