Book Slut II

Oh, my. Make that FOUR books I've got going right now! I am being such a book slut. The fourth book is JIM THE BOY by Tony Earley. Even if the epigram at the front of the book wasn't from CHARLOTTE'S WEB, I'd still detect an E.B. White influence. I really like it; yesterday consisted of repeated attempts to slip into a reading coma, but EVERYONE -- even the dog -- conspired to keep me from totally disappearing between the lines of ink into the heart of the story.

Late last evening, Manfred, Jr. was giving me pertinent information about the new DVD/VCR. JIM THE BOY was in a greased-pole contest in Aliceville, North Carolina, and all I could hear was that sound that you hear when you put a seashell up to your ear. The sound went on and on. Finally, I realized that it was someone trying to tell me something. I disentangled myself from the book and exclaimed, "What? What?! What are you saying to me?"