Reading

I am moving too fast for you guys.

You can't keep up.

I started reading Where the Crawdads Sing this week. Carol and I saw the movie last week. You ask "If you saw the movie, why are you reading the book?"

Draw closer and listen intently: The book is always better than the movie. To make the movie you have to leave things out. The book gives you everything.

Sidepoint: The book was lent to me by Flo, a 79 year old woman I work with in the box office. She is an absolute sweetheart. We connect on many things, but especially about books. It's odd, but all the books, except one, that I have read recently have been gifts from my family, or this one that was entrusted to me to enjoy. Too cool for school, baby.

I am not disappointed. The book is magnificent. It creates a mood and allows the reader to exist there. This is what I live for. My emotional reaction harkens back to two books I recently read that I neglected to tell you about.

Beartown and Us Against You. Both written by Fredrik Backman.

These books are set in Sweden and deal with two towns obsessed with hockey.

Who gives a fuck. Right? I do.

This man did not just tell a story. He created fictional characters that live and breathe. I knew these people, and I felt their pain, and insecurities, and triumphs and tragedies. I felt this. My emotions went up and down with those of the characters, I rooted for some and against others.

Backman created a mood and allowed me to exist there.

I am quite fond of a writer known as James Lee Burke. You may not be aware of that. I read his Robicheaux books for the setting, and for the two main characters - Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcel.

Robicheaux is a recovering alcoholic and former homicide detective in the New Orleans police department, who now works for the Iberia Parish Sheriff's office in Louisiana. He is a rugged guy, who gets beatings and gives beatings, and maintains high ethical standards. He is also emotionally vulnerable.

Clete Purcel is a larger than life guy who got kicked off the New Orleans police department because he breaks every rule. He is a heavy drinker and generally insane guy who now makes a living as a PI, an enforcer for bail bondsmen, and whatever else he has to do to survive. He still breaks every rule.

They are close friends and solve cases together, coming at solutions from decidedly different angles.

I love these stories because these two guys are not who I am, but who I wish I was.

With Beartown, and Us Against Them, the characters are real. I could be them.

This is the most satisfying level of reading for me. When my emotions are inflamed and humanity is revealed for what it is - fragile and unpredictable.

Shit, man - reading - it's what I do.