Ten-Finger Exercises

Main characters

I'm a slow reader. I learned that when I went to college at sixteen. I exempted some classes, but didn't pass the reading test and had to take a speed reading class. It didn't work. I like the sounds of the words, and I reverted quickly to my old slow patterns.

On my trip to Indiana I took two John Gresham books to read. I know I can count on him to get me into a story quickly and keep turning the pages, whether the airplane is too warm or the lobby too noisy. I've run out of his now, until he gets another written.

The same is true of Maeve Binchy and Barbara Kingsolver. Every one of their books has been a treat. Each of the three authors has a different style, and each is so engaging. I like their characters, even Gresham's very materialistic king of torts.

I like John Updike's writing too. I really admire the skillful drawing of his characters, but I don't like them. Anne Lamott too--there are phrases I read over and over, rolling them around on my tongue. Her characters don't move me though.

Inspired by a lesson in "Invalid Item" , I've been reading Hemingway. I remember trying to read his works in college, getting the gist of his style, but not really enjoying it. It was during my freshman year at Northwestern, and there were twenty plus books on the syllabus for Bergen Evans' class. Hampered by slow reading, I did what I could, but not well.

The local library had a good selection, and I started with a short story, "The Short Happy Life of Francis McComber." (That may not be the exact title.) I was amazed to find not only the short, direct, no-frills sentences Hemingway is famous for, but also plenty of long, complex sentences without much punctuation. How interesting!

Intrigued, I began The Sun Also Rises, and was quickly bored. The main character hadn't much appeal. I'll pick it up again tomorrow, just to give it another chance.

How about you? What do you like to read? I'd love some new authors.