13/81 - An American Childhood by Annie Dillard

An American Childhood by Annie Dillard, new author category

Annie Dillard describes her childhood in post-WWII Pittsburgh. She opens the book with the metaphor that as children, we are all asleep to the wonder of life. Then at some point, we awake and realize how amazing life is. My problem is that I never remember feeling that way. She uses the metaphor over and over in the book, and every time, I just couldn't relate. Maybe it's a personal thing, or maybe it's a generational thing - maybe children in the age of divorce and family stress 'wake up' so much earlier that we aren't even aware of it.

I think the book is better if read in small portions, as a series of individual essay. Reading it all at once (well, over several days) I found myself losing interest. Just not my cup of tea at all. 1 1/2 stars.

2/81 - The Wooden Overcoat

The Wooden Overcoat  by Pamela Branch, new author category

This book started off kind of slow. Benjamin Cain was just acquitted of murder. He's adjusting to life outside of prison and thinking about what to do next when a stranger approaches and invites him to lunch at his club.

Cain enjoys his meal at the Asterisk Club until he learns that all the members there are also acquitted murderers - at least one charged with multiple murderers. He begins to wonder if the soup tasted a little off. 

His new friend finds him a room in a boarding house just next door to the club. After one night in the house, his new landlady discovers Cain - dead.

As I said, the book got off to a slow start, and I was almost ready to give in. Then it started getting interesting. Then not much later, it got funny. Then it got completely hilarious! In a dark way, all right, but still - hilarious. An unexpectedly great read.