I took my kayak out for a spin today, and nestled into a quiet corner of the lake with shallow water, tall grasses, and dragonflies flitting everywhere. A look to the dark quiet shore and my head was back in a book I just finished, State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. She is the author of one of my favorite books of all time, the lovely Bel Canto. If you haven't read Bel Canto, grab a copy!
State of Wonder was an odd book, and I'd love to find someone else who has read it to get an opinion. The story is about a woman who has been sent to the Amazon jungle to find a doctor who has been doing drug research on a tribe where the women eat the bark of a tree and remain fertile into their senior years. Strange premise, I know. Let me know what you think if you've read it! (In case you are wondering, it was the jungle-like atmosphere that made me think of the book when I was in my kayak today.)
Meanwhile, now I'm reading my book club's book choice, Mary: Mrs. A. Lincoln. The truth is, I was dreading reading this book. I'm not much for history. But this is a historical NOVEL, written in the voice of Mary Todd Lincoln, who has been committed to an insane asylum 10 years after the death of her husband the president. I'm finding it quite fascinating and well-written, and I'm glad I didn't try to opt out of reading it! Mrs. Lincoln is a compelling character, and her voice really comes to life in the novel.
On my night table I also have a book that my son gave to me, the nonfiction Moby Duck. I've started it and it is a pretty interesting book, but I have to finish the book club book first! Sorry I've got only dragonflies and no duck photos to go with this paragraph.
By the way, I saw a REALLY big turtle today too, but by the time I realized it wasn't a beach ball, it had seen me and gone plop under the water!
