For the last few years, I’ve been concentrating on my writing. And that has resulted in me neglecting my reading. I like to write in the morning. The day breaking over the water as I’m sipping a cup of coffee is my favorite time to write. The words come in a rhythmic flow. I ease into my day by having ‘my say’ first thing to whoever will listen -or more accurately- will read. The mornings are also now my workout time either with or without Josh, I’ve got my personal training and my daily homework assignments. Writing, working out and I also like to ‘get my steps in‘ for my FitBit effort. That requires me to leave a little earlier and walk to work or partially walk to work. Mornings don’t give me reading time in my pre-job hours.
And then I have a day job and usually some extracurricular activity in the evening. I try to read before bed. But by the time I get home, I’m whipped. I lay down and I’m asleep usually within moments. I’m even in a book club to enforce or force good reading habits. Yet, honestly I don’t always complete those books especially if I don’t like it.
For Labor Day Weekend, my goal was ‘to read a book.’ I carved out some me time and chose one of my favorite authors. And I’m delighted to report: goal completed.
I read Wally Lamb’s “We are Water.” I loved his books; “This much I know to be true” and “The hour I first believed.” He’s a master storyteller. In WATER, he writes from 10 different people’s perspectives in a story of families over a few generations. He brilliantly weaves the characters together in this intricate tapestry of lives. He is so good at being distinct voices I was effectively disturbed by the chapters told from a pedophile’s perspective. The guy was creepy. Publicly, he easily charmed his victims. Total ick! And the reader gets the added benefit of knowing his personal thoughts. YIKES! Pretty damn dark.
All the characters gave me pause for their outward vs inward response. They lied sometimes blatantly, sometimes through omission. It was disconcerting. I’m a pretty straight shooter. Usually, I say exactly what I am thinking (much to others’ chagrin). I thought that was the norm. Life has taught me to be cynical. I don’t trust people like I used to. I’ve been betrayed. I’ve been lied to. This book fuels my paranoia that people are not who they appear to be. I don’t care for that hardened part of myself… but I’m a survivor. And I also have people I trust to tell me the truth…always.
Despite making me aware and paranoid of the negative aspects of humanity, I really enjoyed “We are Water.” The impact of choices and incidents make for a powerful tale of art imitating life and life becoming art. I was so riveted that I was late to work on Tuesday so I could finish the book. Oh, I still got in my workout but I skipped the writing and started my work day circa 10.