I remember summer reading assignments when I was a K-12 student. Sitting still and inside was definitely not what I wanted to do, unless it meant watching sports on TV. The change I've seen in myself is yet another indication of old age. There is something especially comforting about a good book.
I've read 4 "pretty good" books this summer: Telegraph Days (McMurtry), Soccernomics (Kuper & Szymanski), the Alchemist (Coehlo), and Open (Agassi). Each different and well-written in its own right. Then I read Peace like a River (Enger). Since the onset of my newfound love of reading, I cannot remember a book so well written. For a person who never reads a book twice, I could read this book again. Have you ever read a book that was so good, that you couldn't bring yourself to return it to the used bookstore? Instead, you want to share the experience with others? Have you ever delayed the start of another book because you want to dwell on the characters as if you really knew or cared about them? My guess is you have and that these are your favorite books.
It's hard to find a good book these days. What criteria can one use to know what to read? Referrals from friends, bestseller lists, and familiar authors are what I use to decide, but these methods often fail me. So, when I picked this book up, after having read another of Enger's books, I was mildly anticipating the book. What a pleasant surprise it was. The reviews were actually true! The prose was as captivating as advertised. So, with reluctance, I begin Three Cups of Tea (Mortenson & Relin), and leave you with this recommendation, hoping you can escape to this almost-real world as I did.
