This reading year has already started off with a bang as I've managed to complete two books and am well into a third one (which is for the book club I've started.)
I started book #1 last year but I finished it in 2007 so I am counting it as the first completed book. I decided to read A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali by Gil Courtemanche because A. and I went to see the film based on this book at last year's Vancouver International Film Festival. The film was incredible - the lighting was perfect, the actors and story ripped my heart out and twenty minutes after I left the theatre I still thought I was going to burst out crying. The book was no different. Courtemanche is able to portray both the horror of genocide and the wonder of falling in love without getting lost in one or the other. This book made me grieve and it made me rage and above all it showed me how powerful love and friendship can be.
It seems that, without fail, after I finish a heavy book I need something a little lighter. With that in mind I decided to reread Danny: The Champion of the World by Roald Dahl. Growing up, Roald Dahl was one of my favourite authors. I loved his imagination and his crazy stories and the language he used and I still do. This particular book was read to my class in elementary school. I don't remember which grade I was in or who the teacher was but I do remember being enthralled with this story and it was as good as I remembered. It's funny that even years later, the way someone removes a bookmark from their book will bring back fond memories of reading time in class. I have to admit that I have an affinity for reading young adult books I loved when I was younger. There's something about the really good ones that stand the test of time and only seem to get better as I grow older. That is one of the things I'm really looking forward to if I ever have kids - being able to read to them the stories that I loved.
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