Mannequin Monday – How Quickly She Disappears
So many words to drape our mannequin form this week. Books, both fiction and non-fiction. A debut novel How Quickly She Disappears. And a new Steinbeck biography.
And another bit of fiction I wrote, more from my heart than usual.
What I’m Reading
This week I am in the middle of reading six books. Not six books on my To Be Read pile. Actually reading each of them. The perils of the digital age.
I am a public library lover. A heavy user. Before the COVID lockdown I always had at least one library book at home. Lately I have been using LA County’s digital version, Libby. When I am reading online, and come across a mention of a book that looks interesting, I immediately go to Libby. I put the book on hold, or borrow it right away if I can. I am not ashamed to say that I can easily put one book aside to taste a new book. If it grabs me, I will read it right away, then go back to the one I paused.
I was an early reader as a kid. Our town had no library, so I took a 30-minute bus ride to the nearest library. It was only a storefront, but I browsed every book on every shelf there over the years.
Today I am diving into How Quickly She Disappears, a debut novel set in Alaska in 1941. Halfway through the second chapter, I’m hooked. This meant setting aside The Enigma Game, a WWII story. I am a big fan of the author, Elizabeth Wein. I’ll be back to it shortly.
Two of my loan books are non-fiction. I am slowly working through Atomic Habits. And I finally got to borrow a new biography of John Steinbeck, Mad at the World, by William Souder. I’m one chapter in, and I will surely finish this. I’ve been looking forward to a new biography on Steinbeck, hoping for some new insights into his writing.
Using Libby gives me the opportunity to try out a book. If it does not hold my attention, I return it right away. But it gives me the chance to experience a wide range of books. Digital shelf browsing, at its best.
As a postscript, I should add that the books I borrow on Libby don’t include what I have on Amazon Kindle. More books there that I am working my way through. A great time when there is always a book to be had.
What I’m Writing
A story I wrote, based on what I’m going through these weeks. Maybe another expression of how quickly she disappears. Enjoy.
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