when you snuck a flashlight to bed to read under the sheets

I took advantage of my recent "plane time" to finally finish 2 excellent books.  The first one was The Lost Wife.  If you are someone like me, who is compelled to read stories about the holocaust this book is for you.  It's a work of fiction but based on history.   I had not heard of the Terezin Concentration Camp before reading this.  Nor did I know of the works of the artists there who captured images that were hidden away and eventually recovered.   

And sadly, I finished Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore.  I did my best to make this gem last as long as I could.  I loved jumping into it right before bed every night and falling asleep dreaming I was a part of the "quest" to discover the code involved in this tale.  This was one of those books where you don't just like the characters and like the story but you actually get caught up in the whole thing.  Reading this book made me feel the way I did when I was in those years of discovering the world of books for the first time.  When you took your book to the table with you and tried to read during dinner, or when you snuck a flashlight to bed to read under the sheets because you were supposed to be going to sleep.  

Both of these are highly recommended. 

Comments

[Julie]

Did you know that the yellow books on the cover glow in the dark? Try it if you haven't already returned it to the library :)

[Susie LaFond]

oh oh Carol you just warmed my heart like a big cup of hot chocolate....I felt the exact same way when I read Mr. Penumbra, probably my favorite book of 2013, I was sad when the adventure ended. I found myself day dreaming of such a book store and how I wanted to go there, be among the stacks...and a book quest would've been right up my alley. It's good to know that someone else had the same kind of experience reading it...you just summed it up perfectly. Sweet Dreams...I'm callin it a night.

[Sharon W.]

I loved Lost Wife, and sadly have not found her other books so readable. Have you tried "the Baker's Daughter"? It's another engrossing novel of WWII, seen from a different, German point of view. It introduced me to the Lebensborn program, of which I had been ignorant. Worth a try !

[Vicki in Michigan]

I have just put Mr. P. on hold.........

When I was a kid, our heating pad had a little light to indicate when the heat was on.

It was just barely bright enough for sharp young eyes to read with, under the covers. My two siblings and I all discovered this independently (we found out years later that we had all used the heating pad for this purpose).

I wonder if my parents knew what we were up to, or if they were puzzled why we had so many "stomach aches"....

[Joan Clarke]

I'll have to read Mr. Penumbra...I have a love of bookstores: the smell just sends me over the top.

I read Saraha's Key...about the French rounding up the Jews and putting them in concentration camps. I had no idea that France was involved in those activities. We were certainly not taught any of this in school.

I hid under the covers to read at night too. My parents thought reading was a waste of time! Nothing irritated by dad more than to see me with my nose stuck in a book...! What a pity, eh? I persisted in my love of books/reading in spite of them.

[Rhonda H.]

I *loved* Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore... read it last year and now I think I may check it out again from the library and reread it! And yes, ditto someone above who said the books on the cover glow in the dark -- I discovered that after reading it at night then turning off the lights and *bam* there they were!
Glad you had a blast on your art retreat! Always a pleasure reading about it!

[Maureen]

T'aint nuthin' like a good book, and sometimes it's so hard to let go of one when you finish. Spot on for that feeling of wanting to read more and yet not wanting the book to end.

I was like that with most of Henning Mankell's "Wallander" series.

[SusanS]

Ooh, on a semi holocaust theme, have you read Beach Music? In the middle of it now and loving it.

[Judy H.]

Loved the Mr. Penumbra book. :)

[Barbara]

Really enjoyed both these books as well. Just finished Mr. Penumbra's yesterday and was sad to see it end. Kinda reminded me in some parts a little bit like Harry Potter. Started The House Girl today and am hopeful it will be enjoyable too.