I spend a lot of time reading… not during the day, obviously; other than at my meal time [I eat once a day and it suits me…] and of course morning coffee… oh and a mere 20 mins before getting up. And if I stop for a drink sometime or am taking a well earned break. So never during the day at all. 

I read at night. I can happily read for 2 or 3 hours through the night; starting at bed time – usually no later than 10pm – I have been known to continue beyond 2am. 

And the novel has to be an Actual Book. I get my novels from the local library. I send a message via Messenger to my Library friend Lisa [known to me and to many as LL] letting her know I have a sister-in-law coming on such a date, so will swing by with my Giant Bag of read novels. And she replies – almost immediately ‘I was thinking of you only this morning and have set aside about 30 books for you… see you soon!’ 

Every novel I read is given a Review. Sometimes my reviews are enthusiastic and sometimes I say ‘WHY DID THEY THINK THIS WAS EVEN WORTH WRITING?’ My dear friend LL thinks my reviews are hilarious! She puts them all on display in the Library. When my next lot arrives, the older ones are carefully taken down and moved on to the next Library! I do believe my reviews have reached every corner of this Welsh county! 

In the latest collection, I have been startled by two very different novels. One by Dawn French ‘Because of you’ was mind blowingly tender and loving and contained this line: 

‘I have met a number of pricks in my time; but you Sir are the full cactus’ 

I am desperate for an opportunity to use it in real life…

The second is an unassuming tale by Amor Towles ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ 

Dear Reader; this tale blew my mind. The complexity. The sweetness. The tenderness. The dignity. The fury. The comedy. The sheer brilliance of the writing. 

A quote: [They talked] ‘of the once, the was, the wishing and the wonderful’ 

This kind of writing, seemingly effortless and perfect; delights me. The rhythm of the words, the perfect punctuation and the paucity of over-indulgence, fills my soul with absolute pleasure; the sheer beauty created – merely using words! 

And it takes me out of myself in ways other media do not. 

My life is put in perspective by the brilliance of the writing. And it refreshes, rejuvenates and rejoices my very being with its perfection. 

In that particular novel, the very last sentence is ‘Where the willowy woman waited’ and I felt my heart break with love and joy. 

So…here’s the thing, Moodscopers; is it just me or do others among us become uplifted by simply reading the written word in whatever format suits – kindle included?  

CMM

A Moodscope member