Reading Treasure Hunts

 

Because I'm lazy, I prefer reading in English to French, although a good French novel can be a delight.

And yes, I do use e-books, especially for the historical and political books I read, but novels? Laziness prevails. 

I admit to being a compulsive reader. So far this year I've read 19,333 pages. That doesn't include The Atlantic, The New Yorker or any of the many newspapers from several countries that I read online.

However, despite the internet and living in non-Anglo countries, feeding my reading habit presents a bit more of a challenge. 

In Geneva, there's the English library which has some 10,000 books, plus twice a year sales.

Payot sells and can order any book published, but at a markup.

In France, I'm not in Paris with its English book stores including the legendary Shakespeare and company and the American Library which would easily meet my needs, but it's a three-hour train trip from Geneva and even longer from Argelès, certainly not practical.

My late friend Barbara had a used English bookstore in Argelès. I miss running down the street and saying, "I'm desperate for something to read (pre internet)." 

There is a handicapped man in the village. He has a basket of English books he sells, given to him by Anglo tourists who do not want to stuff them in their luggage. However, half his basket can be books, I've given him, but not always.

It was there I found Farewell to the East End by Jennifer Worth which I'm half way through. She wrote the book that inspired the TV series Call the Midwife" which I've enjoyed in English but sometimes I run across it in French.

Why do I enjoy reading so much? It's not because I lack a rich and wonderful life. 

Some of it could be as a writer, I delve into why an author wrote this way or that, turned a phrase. 

Also, I've a fascination with people in general -- why they act as they do. I can change time periods from being a cave woman to someone on a different planet. Add in locations and I can be transported to other worlds and places, some of which I've seen, some of which I want to see. And there are those locations that I'm glad are in a book and I do not have to contend with whatever was written there.

When I put down a book, I return to my regular life with my dog, my husband, my friends. I am more aware of my surroundings be it the grape vines outside my door, or the smell of dinner cooking or or or...

So, feeding my habit can be a bit of a treasure hunt. The use of old telephone booths stuffed with free books placed in both of my villages, sometimes have a few English ones and I've located a gem or two. If I were a book pirate, I would have found my treasure without a map but by luck.