My Cheating Ways

I just finished Vanity Fair and was about to start my W book (I have Who Has Seen The Wind? by W.O. Mitchell on my bedside table) when the library called to tell me one of my book orders was in and waiting for me. Just before Christmas, on a whim, when I was looking for my U book, I requested Stephen King's latest, Under The Dome, but since the computer was showing that I was about the 200th person requesting the book, I figured I wouldn't see it before the spring and would have plenty of time to finish my project before starting it.

But suddenly it was available. I've been itching to read it and had even contemplated going and buying it for myself, but the cost was a little prohibitive, being a huge hardback and all. My sister-in-law/bestest bud Karen got it for Christmas, but I figured I couldn't snatch it out of her hands without causing a family incident, so that option was out too. So after the phone call, I ummed and ahhhed for about five minutes and then went to the library to get the book. Its just going to have to be a blip on my otherwise fairly cheat-free project history (I think I neglected to tell you that over Christmas I speed-read the Josephine B Trilogy by Sandra Gulland - excellent, highly recommended - and Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg - also excellent, great murder mystery set in Toronto - neither of which belonged on my list at that point...but it was the holidays and I was on a break!).

So I've started Under The Dome and let me tell you, I'm finding it hard to put down. This isn't another Stephen King horror, this is one of his human dramas, where the scary thing isn't some awful clown or a nasty doggy eating everyone in sight, but is in fact the far more frightening evil known as human nature. I'm totally engrossed and also full of admiration. He really is a brilliant writer. His characters are so real and lifelike within the span of a couple of sentences, his dialogue so genuine that I am in awe. I know Mr. King has a very strong work ethic when it comes to his writing and I think it shows. He's not a hack, that's for sure. Anyway, I'm not too sure why I'm wasting my time writing all of this out when I could be reading more about the fascinating people of Chester Mills and the strange predicament they find themselves in, so I bid you goodnight and happy reading!