big world and mini me

i think that in the last several months, i'd have read at least 200 or more novels. it all started last year when the young lawyer, sara, whose office is across my desk and who loves to read told me about a book she was reading. "the goldfinch" by donna tartt. i bought the book, all eight hundred some pages of it. one of the most brilliant books i've ever read. but the book itself was cumbersome. so i succumbed to using my tablet as a reader. bought the kindle edition. i loved donna tartt's style of writing and plotting and character development. so i bought her two other books, no lightweight books but not as big as the goldfinch. as i have some 45-minute travel on the train to get to work, and back home, reading was a good diversion. if you can believe it, i've read the goldfinch 3 times, cover to cover, as well as 'the secret history'. then sara told me she's reading a very compelling novel by elena ferrante. it was, i ended up reading all four in the series, in less than a week's time.

that was spring last year. i have spent so much money on books since then. in the past, i would start reading "to kill a mocking bird" but never got halfway. then one day it was free on kindle so i got it and read it in one go - couldn't put it down. when i moved last march, i found that i have 4 copies of that book.

then i got a gig reviewing books that are soon to be published or launched. i get to read books for free and get to tell the publisher if they are crap or not and i get paid for doing so. now i am an advance reader for an english on-line author, more free reads. i don't fall asleep anymore on the train, but i still miss my stop sometimes when the book i'm reading is really compelling and brilliantly written. on the average since winter, i'd be reading a new novel every other day, on the train. at home i read or re-read the heavyweight ones, any subject is fair game to me.

21st saturday of the 52 portraits of me project; for this segment the challenge is "big world - make yourself tiny".

flashback: a story relating to books and my love of reading http://365project.org/summerfield/365/2011-08-31

over at five plus two, the theme is bookworm. you've got until tomorrow to put in an entry if you are so inclined.

fitness challenge update: #1 for the weekend as the competition will wait until monday to get to work to put in their stats. today, i did a lot of walking, but i forgot my pedometre. so when i got home, i went to the mall and did more walking. i'm tired now!

[Brigette]

Great concept and edit

[Dixie Goode]

Brilliant photo, and I'm envious of your ability to read and commute

[Call me Joe]

The joy of sex and Holy Bible?......🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 amen to that:)

[summerfield]

@joemuli - i read anything that interests me, so there! :-D thanks, kid. where have you been?

[Annie D]

this is so so good Miss Vikki - well done!

[Dinah Pinkston]

Well done ...a very creative half-and-half! Fav!

[JackieR]

A lovely composition, you could go into authoring!!! We were discussing what makes a book 'good' last week. I loved Goldfinch, but they hated it, but they loved Tyler's Spool of Blue Thread, I didn't!! Both shortlisted for prizes!
This is such a clever self portrait your creativity is boundless!!

[Leana Niemand]

This is sooooo cool!

[summerfield]

@30pics4jackiesdiamond - a book for me to read completely has to grab me, if not at the opening sentence, then the first 5 pages. otherwise, it goes in the "for later" pile. good reviews also grab my interest. like, for example, the kite runner, 100 years of solitude, mr. pip, tess d'uberville, egg on mao, the good earth, the light between oceans, the farming of bones, the lonely passion of judith hearne. there are books, too, that make me feel it should be longer than what it already is, because a finished book must make you wonder and ask the 'what ifs'. thanks, lady.

[JackieR]

I loved The Light Between Oceans!!! Have you read All The Light we Cannot See.............. Think I'll look out some of the others on your list. Entered your challenge btw!

[Domenico Dodaro]

A lovely photo and kudos to you for such a deserving activity as advance reader!

[Kas]

Loved the narrative and your image. We've covered 6 on your list at our bookclub over the years!

[Jerome]

deligthtful!

[katy]

And eclectic collection illustrated here to say the very least! Very creative photo concept and executed very cleverly. The only thing I wonder about is your ability to read the backwards print of the magazine you are holding!

Good on you for holding the number one spot at least at the moment

[Henri Russell]

This is an awesome selfie. Very creative.

[summerfield]

@grammyn - i had to flip my image to conform with the direction of the lighting on the books. but i assure you, i also have the weird ability to read backwards and upside down. someone told me a long time ago that i could be a spy. the thing is if i got caught, all the enemy could do to make me give up secrets is to threaten me with snakes. so my weird talent remained untapped and unused. thanks, girlfriend.

[Corinne]

you are a pretty lilliputien !

[Netkonnexion]

Cool! Great piece of work.