There are books that sometimes you reread. For me these books typically have one thing in common--the author is no longer with us. No other book will be coming, not unless someone stumbles on a secret stash of disregarded manuscripts. A few years ago I learned my lesson about going away hungry from the reading table. I devoured scads of Walker Percy and was crushed to learn I read everything he'd written, even his essays. There wasn't any more. Now when I hear an author has passed I hoard a couple of copies of his work, so that if I am ever bed-ridden, these books will make my convalescence more endurable. Off the top of my head this morning and in terms of crime fiction, I've some Crumley left, some Willeford, and Westlake hanging fire. Good discipline to practice.
4/27/10
Hanging Fire
There are books that sometimes you reread. For me these books typically have one thing in common--the author is no longer with us. No other book will be coming, not unless someone stumbles on a secret stash of disregarded manuscripts. A few years ago I learned my lesson about going away hungry from the reading table. I devoured scads of Walker Percy and was crushed to learn I read everything he'd written, even his essays. There wasn't any more. Now when I hear an author has passed I hoard a couple of copies of his work, so that if I am ever bed-ridden, these books will make my convalescence more endurable. Off the top of my head this morning and in terms of crime fiction, I've some Crumley left, some Willeford, and Westlake hanging fire. Good discipline to practice.