Taking a Chance

Checking out books from the library for me historically results in astronomical fines and the wish that I had just bought the book instead. However, two days a go I did just that (and only checked out one as a meagre form of damage control.)

I am now attempting to read "The Life and Times of the Thuderbolt Kid", by Bill Bryson. For the most part I've enjoyed his work in the past, and usually laugh out loud at his style of writing (not to mention his anecdotes. I highly recommend "A Walk in the Woods". Peed myself at one point.

Anyhow, this is a memoir of his growing up in Des Moines with his family. Definitely some laugh out loud moments already, but I also stumbled across another trivia tidbit. And I quote:

Up until Pearl Harbor, half of the 48 states had laws making it illegal to
employ a married woman.

Who knew?!I knew working women weren't de rigeur back then, but actual laws prohibiting it? I had no idea.

I actually managed to read two books while on my trip to Italy. Amazing what can happen if you have nothing else to do. I remember those days... I reread "The Phantom Tollbooth", which held up amazingly well almost 25 years later, and also "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks, who also wrote the stunning "March", which won a Pulitzer. "People" was also a riveting book. Minnie ran out of books to read so I lent her that one, and spent the whole time she was reading it demanding to know whether or not she was enjoying it ("Yes! Now go away!") I might have to start making time to read more. It was actually...fun1 Didn't hurt that I had really excellent books either. I bought an enormous tome to read on the 11 hour flight home, and got about a third of the way through the 900 pages. It was a decent story, but frankly it was nonstop intrigue and chases et al, that it became rather fatiguing to read! But, as I hate to leave things unfinished, at some point I'll probably get around to that one too. Oh, its called "The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters". Something British (at least I didn't buy a British cookbook.)