The American - 1907

Henry James 1843-1916

I just finished reading The American by this dear fellow pictured above. I had no idea what to expect but the title had me curious. The book is about an over-the-top wealthy American in Paris. Last night, when I closed the book, satisfied, and full of all that good stuff good reading does for the soul, I looked to my husband, who had been inhaling politics beside me. I gave him a gloss and he said, "I would have hated that book."

I guess I just like books (I should rephrase that, I like old books--contemporary books don't thrill me like the classics do).

So, I have my list of must read classics that I've been diving into since college and I think I'll stick with them until I'm done with the list. After that, we'll see.

My next book is Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton (loved Age of Innocence). I'm reading this one for my niece. She is not a reader and she's a sophy in high school. She comes to my house on the school bus every day and I thought if I read the same book she's reading, she'd have someone to talk to about it. My secret wish is to instill in her a passion for the classics and reading, but I'll settle for her just being open to them. I'm not betting on my success, but it's worth a try.