Reading is my therapy

I have been ravenously reading lately. Sure beats getting over the eating marathons of the holidays - tough chocolate withdrawal!

Reading goes in spurts and sputters for me. Not sure if it's the same for all of you. Since my long Christmas holiday break, I have hunkered down with Conroy's South of Broad, the Penny Vincenzi's series of books, beginning with No Angel. I'm on the third (or is it fourth) book in this never-ending series. Then I progressed to Steig Larsson's trilogy, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, driven by my family's regales (still awaiting the third book from daughter who retrieved it from Europe - not yet distributed to America)!

The other day I was in B&N and noticed Adriana Trigiani has been writing again. Not sure if any of you have read this author. She generally portrays a woman as her central figure who is of Italian-American heritage and colorfully extols this character's life experiences growing up in NYC. She's a masterful story-teller with a wit that is evocative. I've read Lucia, Lucia and her Queen of the Big Time. The latest (to me anyway) is Very Valentine. As Conroy's writing style is literary eloquence, Trigliani's voice is laced with wit and, at times, lyrical dialogue.

"Why is it in the story of my life, that the moments I remember with the deepest affection are the times when I have been alone? I can line them up like faceted perfume bottles on an antique dresser."

I can sooo relate to that thought. My best clarity of thought and decisions comes when I am wrapped in my meditative process.

PS: Soon to be a movie with Jennifer Garner as Valentine...