Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying"

I've just finished reading William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying." It is the first book in Oprah's three-volume summer reading selection. This was the book for June. There are two other Faulkner books, one for July ("The Sound and The Fury"), another for August ("Light in August"). I found all three books (hardcover!) on Half.com, so I'll be ready for the others. I like to find vintage hardcovers of classic books, rather than new softcover editions. The vintage copies just have more character and I like to "rescue" old books.

I have to say this much about Oprah's Book Club.... she selects books that you might not pick on your own, and I've enjoyed nearly all of her choices so far. "As I Lay Dying" started out slowly, and I had to re-read a couple of chapters to make sure I was following the story correctly, but once I got past a certain point, it was hard to put the book down.

The challenge of the family to get the coffin holding their deceased mother from their home to the spot where she wanted to be buried was a nail-biter. And since I don't bite my nails, I munched on blueberries while I read the pivotal chapters. (A handmade coffin on top of a rickety old wagon which had to cross over a bridge-less river.) I was aware of Faulkner's style of long run-on sentences, so that didn't take me by surprise. (Plus, I'm guilty of run-ons myself at times.) What did surprise me was all the short chapters told in the voices of each character. Some were easier to follow than others, and you couldn't skim over anything because you might miss something important to the story. I hate to skim books anyway..... what's the sense in reading if you're not going to read every word?

I think Oprah has done more for reading than anyone else who has tried to get people away from electronics. I don't care what anyone says.... there's nothing like holding a book in your hand and getting lost in its pages.

I'm sorry that Oprah doesn't pick books from current writers anymore........ not since the author of "The Corrections" spoiled the spirit of her book club. That author had a hissy-fit when he found out that Oprah's book club logo had been printed on the cover of his book. Stupid man. A book chosen by Oprah sells millions of copies..... and he couldn't live with a logo less than two inches in diameter on the cover of his book? I had that book and was set to read it, but then I heard about the temper-tantrum he had with Oprah and I returned the book. Un-read, I might add. Now I see copies of that book in our local Half-Price bookshop, and they sit there with a one-dollar price tag on them. And still, no one buys them. Moral of that story... don't mess with Oprah.

But on the bright side....... Oprah is picking the classics for her book club, and that's a good thing. Last summer's book was "Anna Karenina" by Tolstoy. What a beautiful, moving, breath-taking story that was. And imagine....... Tolstoy was on the Best-Sellers list because of one woman's dream to get everyone reading. Another of her choices was "The Good Earth," by Pearl S. Buck. When Oprah picked that book, I already had my own copy on my bookshelves.... I've read that book at least four times, but I read it again. Such a beautiful story... timeless and classic... and I know I'll read it again.

It saddens me to know that there isn't enough time in anyone's life to read all the books that should be read. But heaven knows, I'm trying.