Friday, August 22, 2008

Friday 55 & Da Count-A Good Book

FRIDAY 55


The smell of the sea filled her nose as she inhaled deeply.
She could feel the ship pitch and roll as it rocked on the waves.
The sun warmed her skin, its brightness made her squint.
Suddenly she heard her teacher chastising her.
She snapped the book shut and returned from the sea to arithmetic.




DA COUNT

A lot of my 55s aren't exactly fictional. The above scene took place in 4th grade. For 15 minutes each day we were supposed to read for pleasure, even the teacher. We were allowed to read anything we wanted. I became more than slightly engrossed in my book and never heard the teacher say reading time was over. He was more than a bit of a jerk and figured the best way to get me back to reality was to call the entire class's attention to me as I sat in my own little world found in the pages of that book.

In the intervening years I have more than once been told I have an irritating tendency to become so wrapped up in what I am reading that I loose track of everything else. I don't really feel the need to apologize for that unless it leads to a dangerous situation.

Truth be told, books were my refuge as a child. They were one of the ways I soothed myself. I found peace in the solitude and strength in the characters I read about (I've always had a fondness for biographies and memoirs). I still love to get lost in the pages of a good book.

Tell me about the books that have swept you away.

31 comments:

SignGurl said...

Oh, you little daydreamer you! I was feeling the rolls and pitching. I want to be on a boat now, waaa!

SignGurl said...

Also,


UNO!!

Queenie said...

My hubbie hates it when we go on holiday, I take a stack of books in my case, and spend the whole time reading them. "To Kill a Mocking Bird" was the book I did for my O levels at school, and it remains an all time favourite with me. The teacher should have praised you for giving the books your full attention, great 55 Lime.

EmBee said...

I'm quite the opposite. In order to really get absorbed in a book I need absolute quiet. I also need to be completely comfortable and no distractions. Sometimes the sound of a clock ticking can make it hard to concentrate. However, sometimes there's a book so amazing I can become mostly absorbed. For me that book would be the likes of 'The Red Tent' or 'Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood', relationship oriented books. My most difficult read had to be 'Wicked'... All of the politics involved in the telling of the story made for such a slog fest but I promised myself I'd finish it because I'd feel more cerebral for having done so.

EmBee said...

And Oh Queenie, I too LOVE 'To Kill A Mockingbird'
:-)

Ed & Jeanne said...

Green Eggs and Ham is a page turner...

furiousBall said...

i threw up overboard...

barman said...

Now I feel like I need to take a little mist container and spritz you every now and again to enhance your reading experience. Love the 55.

Congo? Well you see I have never been a pleasure reader. I read tons of technical books or books on things I want to learn about but pleasure reading... You see when I pick up a book just for fun, once I get hooked I will not set it down until I am done or I am so tired I can not keep my eyes open. Then I set the book down, sleep a little and get started all over again. What little pleasure reading I do is usually science fiction.

Now where was that ship. It sounded like a fun place to be right now... *spritz*

Polt said...

Oh I've SOOOO been there with the daydreaming thing. Even now, while at work. Although, mine have less to do with the beach itself and more with the guys ON the beach. :) :)

HUGS...

Craver Vii said...

I'm glad you didn't lose your love for reading.

For me, I remember being totally engrossed with Bram Stoker's Dracula, and I really enjoyed losing track of time, and not being aware of the here and now, as long as I had my nose in that book.

NYD said...

Alfred Bester's the Demolished Man and The Stars my Destination.

I have always believed that the golden age of science fiction writers were fabulous at weaving socio psyco political plots together in a background of fantastical environments.

Time enough for love. (Heinlein)

Leviathan (Auster's)

Slaughterhouse Five.

Are just a few that I have gotten lost in over and over again, but there are so many. Oh, so many.

This was really nice. I understannd exactly how you felt and feel.

Anonymous said...

I love books!!! :)

Of course I'm totally wrapped up in Book 4 of the Twilight series, but books that I have totally gotten lost in... Walden, The Art of Happiness and a few of my smutty novels. ;)

S said...

Oh man, I used to get in trouble for drawing ladies and fashions on the backs of my papers.....totally lost in the Project Runway reality!!! LOL

My 5th grade teacher used to throw erasers at kids who daydreamed or became otherwise engrossed...ack.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you on the biography front (when I do read... not that it happens much anymore).

Yeah, I escaped through books too growing up... and I so relate to this wonderful count.

Cheers!

Mona said...

Ditto here! I get really engrossed too.
But one should avoid such an engrossing activity in a potentially dangerous place & situation.

I remember, a woman got so involved in watching TV in my sister's neighborhood That her baby fell off the balcony & died. She did not even heed to the shouts of warning coming from the street below!

Suldog said...

Oh, goodness, Lime. Asking me to list the books that have swept me away is asking for a long list. Right off the top of my head...

Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, Life On The Mississippi, Roughing It, A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court... Well, pretty much everything by Twain.

Ball Four by Jim Bouton.

The Rape Of The Ape by Allan Sherman (hilarious book, all about the sexual revolution - a bit dated now, but still a masterpiece.)

Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis

A Confederacy Of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Ah, I could go on for the length of a book...

Pam said...

very cool 55, lime. i don't get distracted too much when i'm reading unless it's my kids getting on my nerves! LOL

Annie said...

Way too many books...nearly all of them...transport me away somewhere else...you can read a list of them on my blog...and they are not even the recent ones...!

I am reading an interesting novel at the moment AWAY by Amy Bloom, but usually it is a biography. Latest one being MOUNTAINS BEYOND MOUNTAINS by Tracey Kidder, about a young doctor called Paul Farmer...he had a very unusual childhood, and works in Haiti as well as all over he world!

Annie

ps The other one that comes to mind is HAMLET's DRESSER by BOB SMITH...couldn't put it down...a must read!!!

pps Can't not mention HAVING OUR SAY by the Delaney sisters...they were abpproaching about 100 when they wrote their story!

G-Man said...

Hi Limey....
Thanks for playing...Your 55 always rocks!!!
I couldn't put down the DaVinci Code.
You remember the 4th Grade huh?
Have a GREAT Week-End Meesh...G
xox

Anonymous said...

Sorry...I was reading..not paying attention...what was that???

smarmoofus said...

15 minutes?! Why bother? By the time you got into the story, it would be over again. It should be at least a half-hour to be of any use. But, well, at least he gave you 15 minutes.

Great 55! I love the imagery.
-smarmoofus

Akelamalu said...

Oh fabulous! I'm a daydreamer, so much more fun than maths!

Cheesy said...

Read away chica! But please not while driving lol....

Maddy said...

Ideally it starts with death and ends with a solution.

Don't Agatha Christie me, the woman's a cheat, far too many 'didn't really die in the first place / long lost twin.'

My eye!

Cheers

Roxi said...

I have to admit that I do the same thing when I read. I see smell and hear things that are happening in the book. so way much better then tv.

S said...

eek, you live by the crayon factory! I am so there!

:D

Commander Zaius said...

One of my favorite authors, Dean Koontz, has the ability to draw me fully in his writing. His Odd Thomas series offers and curious perspective on many things that I find myself sharing. And while Koontz's books ultimately fall on the bright side of human nature or at least come to a draw with the dark side I also get pulled into books that portray nightmare or distopia worlds that I hope we never see.

Bijoux said...

"The Poisonwood Bible" blew me away.

Anonymous said...

Maybe a bit out of order, but then again I'm net addicted: My book would be 'the world is flat' with Friedman.

Have a great week ahead!

Kelly said...

I day dream about being on Lake Michigan or Huron. -=sigh=-

KFarmer said...

There are only a few that I can say didn't sweep me away~ The rest of my books I consider old friends and found treasures. Good one sweet :)