for heaven's sake, read!

"Relax. Concentrate. Dispel every other thought. Let the world around you fade. Best to close the door; the TV is always on in the next room. Tell the others right away, 'No, I dont want to watch TV!' Raise your voice -- they wont hear you otherwise -- 'I'm reading! I dont want to be disturbed!'...
Find the most comfortable position: seated, stretched out, curled up, or lying flat. Flat on your back, on your side, on your stomach. In an easy chair, on the sofa, in the rocker, the deck chair, on the hassock..."

-Italo Calvino, If on a Winter's Night a Traveler

One of my favorite openings to a book ever written always inspires me to do just that- go, and read! This morning I have finished The Woman in White, much to my personal satisfaction. I did not know, when I began, how I would be tempted from its pages by so many various other exploits. I did not know how I would neglect other prized attentions in its stead. I was so pleasantly surprised by the grip, appeal, and suspense of the tale, I even placed the coveted new Ruiz novel on hold! And so, this story comes with my highest recommendations- for a well-written, excellently-crafted story in the loftiest language and style. I firmly believe it is a neglected classic [I can say this, having a degree in English] that should be read, expostulated, and thesisized in a greater abundance of curriculum. And so, by all means, if you are reading this, and you have not read that, do so! Do heed the warning of my sister-in-law, prevent your curiosity from reading the summary. It may ruin the mystery.

I turn, to Ruiz, to see how he will change my sentence structure, my outlook on posting letters, and my sense of urgency, as Collins has surely done to me.