Reading Again - Joys and Pitfalls

 I admit to not re-reading too often, especially these past 14 years. When I decided to start writing again, I set out to fill in the holes of my literary education. There were classics I had never read (War and Peace) and more contemporary writing (Ken Barry's Night Boat to Tangier), and too little time. Yet, I did re-read some books. Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle was one; Catcher in the Rye was another. The former I still found worth reading; the latter I had not liked when younger and remain unconvinced of its being a wonder. So it goes.

But it was good to read Elisa Gabbert's Same River, Same Man where she re-reads Catcher in the Rye with a different result from her earlier reading.

Although I have not re-read John Updike's Rabbit Run, her remarks brought back the mixed feelings I had with the novel. My impression is it felt dated.

As much as I admire Kurt Vonnegut (hey, I am from Indiana!), his Breakfast of Champions never felt quite up to snuff. 

sch 6/21