Books I’ve Never Read
Returning guest blogger, Kathleen Delaney, is excited about all those books still to be read.
I’m reading Sherlock Holmes, for the first time!
My brother gave it to me for Christmas. He told me he was reading it, but I must admit, I found that somewhat strange. It couldn’t be for the first time. After all, everyone had read Sherlock Holmes. Only, when I really thought about it, I hadn’t. Oh, I’d read a short story or two, sometime, in the distant past, I was sure I had, but I couldn’t really remember.
We always give each other books, and they are always books we’ve read and loved, an unwritten rule of ours, so when the package came, I was curious. It was a few days before Christmas, but I was out of fresh reading material and it was raining outside. A trip to the library was unattractive but essential, or at least I thought it was until the package arrived. I didn’t think he’d mind, so—.
It’s great.
Why on earth haven’t I read this man before?
I grew up on mysteries. I’ve read everything from Wilkie Collins up to the most current releases, or at least I thought I had. I was in love with Lord Peter Wimsey when I was in my teens. Other girls swooned over pop stars; I drooled over Lord Peter and was insanely jealous of Harriet Vane. I came close to replacing him with Josephine Tey’s Brat Farrar, and was distracted by Nagio Marsh’s Roderick Allen. There were plenty of others, not so romantic but just as beguiling in other ways. It was hard to fall in love with the occupants of the Sloan Investment Bank, but I found them, and the mysteries, fascinating, and followed the adventures of Nero Wolf, Jerry and Pam North, and others religiously. On to Martha Grimes, Charlotte Armstrong, Patricia Hightower, and then Sharon McCrumb’s ballad series, Tony Hillerman, Dick Francis, who re-enforced my life long love of horses, and—.
My shelves overflow with books and I still go to the library and meet new people, authors and characters alike. I thought I’d read them all.
But now I see I haven’t. How could I have not read Sherlock Holmes? Who else am I missing? I won’t sleep a wink tonight, thinking about this.
Well, maybe I’ll sleep some, but not much. I’ve finished “A Study in Scarlet.” am half way through “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and then on to Sarah Vowell’s “The Wordy Shipmates” Not a mystery, but it promises to be fascinating, and as the book I am currently writing deals with the eighteen century, bound to be useful as well. After that is a new James Patterson, also a Christmas present, and by then the book I ordered on hearth cooking should arrive. I might even try out some eighteenth century recipes. But not in the fireplace.
In the meantime, I think I’ll start my “wish list” for my next birthday and send it to my brother.
January 5, 2010
Posted in: Guest Blogs
Loading ...
4 Responses
Ah, Kathleen, I almost envy you—getting to read Sherlock Holmes for the first time. I’ve read the canon through several times and still think it’s wonderful. I’ve been reviewing mysteries for more than 20 years, and I still find new authors I can’t believe I’ve missed. Keeping up is a lot like emptying a beach of sand with a teaspoon!
Have a great time! Stop by my blog http://mysteryheel.blogspot.com sometime to check out some of the mysteries I’ve enjoyed lately.
Happy reading!
Kathleen, it’s great to see you finding some treasures in things you thought you had read but hadn’t. Admittedly, I’ve not read Sherlock Holmes either. Don’t know why but guess I’ll have to find some time to read him now. Glad to see you around. Have missed you. Talk soon – E
Just finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Got off to a slow start, but picked up nicely. Now, back to the library and exploring. Although, I’m thinking of dipping into Alexander Dumas. He’s on my shelf, so I can take my time. Or I may re-read a Daphne DuMaurier. Nope. I’m going exploring. Until next time—Kathleen
Never read Sherlock Holmes? I am glad you are getting to know this detective and his adventures with Watson. I grew reading this and Agatha Christie as my intro to mysteries.
Leave a Reply