Fear in Writing: Wishful Wednesdays

Today in Literary History

Today in Literary History...December 14, 1907: Rudyard Kipling receives the Nobel prize for literature, the first English-language writer to do so.ud

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Wishful Wednesdays

This is a response to a prompt on MizB's 'Should Be Reading' blog.
I know it's Thursday, but I'm feeling this post...and I tried to submit last night but lost my connection. Have to be honest with you!
Lately I've been desiring a full collection of first edition Agatha Christies. I don't even know if such a collection exists, or how "wishful" this is, but I long to see it on my shelf. I can picture those gloriously-aged spines staring out at me. I can smell the scent of the yellowed pages and musty glue.
The longing started when my sister came upon a discarded Christie in a small Philadelphia bookstore. She lent it to me and I felt the crackle of it with my own hands. Then I bought two new editions of The Moving Finger and By the Pricking of My Thumbs. I was catapulted back to an era when death was shocking, and writing of such by a woman even more so. Christie brings a wittiness to her books that is cutting even now. She knows her characters and loves or despises or teases them along with the reader. Her plots or deliciously dark without the gore of modern thrillers.

I've also been wishing for some Camus. I'm fascinated by absurdism , as I think we all ponder our purpose and meaning. I have yet to read him but long to do so...We'll see what mood strikes next!

2 comments:

  1. How absurd! I just finished reading The Plague. It was my first go around with Camus and I thought it was brilliant. I can't say as I am going to be rushing right into The Stranger, but I am now planning on getting to it sooner rather than later.

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  2. I was planning on starting with The Stranger...If you enjoyed The Plague you should read Kafka. Absurd, but it's amazing how one can relate to an insect!

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