When I set out to learn about my mother's bridge club, the Jewish octogenarians behind the matching outfits and accessories, I never expected to fall in love with them. This is the story of the ladies, their game, their gen, and the ragged path that led me back to my mother.
I’m being extremely promiscuous with my reading. Is it me or is them. Until very recently I was a monogamous reader. One book at a time. And I almost never put one down until I finished it. ANd I never skimmed. Now, I’ve gone wild. I’m in the middle of three books (William Finnegan’s Barbarian Days, Adam Haslett’s novel Imagine me Gone, Lucia Berlin’s short stories A Manual for Cleaning Women). I actually feel like I’m cheating on one when I’m spending time with another. Is there something wrong with me?
What are your reading proclivities?
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Betsy Lerner 
I stick to one book at a time on the main line. That line for me for the past two years has been almost exclusively books about the 20th century’s great political, military, and economical struggles. I have about ten books to go before I’m done with that; I was pretty much fed up with it about ten books ago but I do so like to finish what I’ve started.
On the secondary lines I read case law, current essays, and the occasional professional book. Lately that book has been, little by little, the legendary “NFPA 921: Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations.”
Christ, I can hardly wait for the day when the wars are over and the fires are out and the suits are settled and I can cozy up with some fiction, folktales, free verse, and philosophy. One book at a time.
I only read one at a time. I’ve tried to do two – just recently as a matter of fact. I bought Kelly Link’s GET IN TROUBLE – a book of short stories, and they are…strange, while being somewhat intriguing. While reading that, I then received a book written by a fellow author and I started it while I was in the middle of GIT. I didn’t flip flop though. Once I started Fellow Author’s book, I read it till the end. Then, I went back to GIT. Read another odd story, and against my nature, I’ve put it aside and started OLIVE KITTERIDGE. I HATE putting books aside. I like to finish them.
I’m very conflicted about it.
I’m a wanton reader, although I have types.
I like to get into as many books as possible. Each one knows about the others and, although I hate to admit it, I like some better than others — they move me in a certain way. Sometimes I read at the kitchen table, outside in an open field or on a dune near the ocean, but mostly I do it in bed. After I finish and all is quiet and wondrously still, I hold the book, caress the back and spine then lightly blow a sweet breeze all across the front; spent.
Oh, Betsy, each to his own. I often have as many as 6 or 7 books going at the same time, and I love it. Here’s one benefit: one can enjoy what they’re in the mood to read at any given moment. If I’m reading the latest by Eckhart Tolle or Elizabeth Gilbert, then I can run to Donna Tartt or Jonathan Franzen for an engrossing read. My mood tells me which book to open when I have reading time. BTW, Bets, I LOVED LOVED LOVED your book and I LOVE your voice! Please tell me you have many, many more books in mind to write. Congrats on the HUGE success of Bridge Ladies. Much deserved! Jude silkhorses@aim.com
Thank you thank thank you. Would you say all that on Amazon. ;)😘😘😘😘😘
As for more writing I’m gonna stick to my old imaginary friend, my blog, for the time being.
Thank you again.