I have previously shared some of my fave book passages. The following is from the book I finished today. Anne Tyler, Digging To America. It came free with Psychologies magazine which the boyf bought me yesterday (he knows how to treat me lol). I was fairly thrilled when I realised I had read another Anne Tyler book, Dinner At The Homesick restaurant, and eventually loved it. So this one I devoured. If I was so inclined I'd attempt a book review. Especially since it's style is not a Nick Hornby that I know back to front and with first person revelations to quote. So, anyway, here we are page 177 in my copy:
"Isn't it odd," Maryam said. "Just like that, a completely unknown person is a part of their family forever. Well, of course that's true of a birth child, too, but. . . I don't know, this seems more astonishing."
"To me, both are astonishing," Dave said. "I remember before Bitsy was born, I used to worry she might not be compatible with the two of us. I told Connie, `Look at how long we took deciding whom we'd marry, but this baby's waltzing in out of nowhere, not so much as a background check or a personality quiz. What if it turns out we don't have shared interests?'"
Maryam laughed and wrapped her coat more closedly around her.
They didn't speak again until they were in her car, merging onto the highway with the ticket booth behind them. Then Dave said,
"How about Sami and Ziba? Think they'll adopt another?"
"I suspect they feel that one child is all they can afford." Maryam told him. "What with the cost of private schools these days."
"They don't believe in supporting public education?"
She sent him a sideways look but said nothing; merely drove for several minutes in silence. Her profile, edged in silver by the passing headlights, seemed icy and austere, the long slant of her nose impossibly straight.
"Although I guess that's a very personal decision." He said finally.
She said, "Yes."
He felt a surge of rebelliousness. What right did this woman have to act so superior?" He said, "You know, it wouldn't do you any harm to indulge in a little to-and-fro discussion."
She sent him an even briefer glance and went back to watching the road.
"You could tell me for instance, the that Baltimore public schools are abysmal. I could say, well, yes, but if the parents are involved I still had some hope we could change things. Then you could say you didn't want to sacrifice your granddaughter's future to that hope. I could handle that! I wouldn't fall apart!"
Still she didn't speak but she seemed to be fighting back a smile.
"You act as if you think you're so right that you don't need to bother arguing," he said.
She said "I do?" and now she gave him a full on stare of surprise.
Ok. That'll do for the book extract as I need to get to bed now. I really enjoyed the following exchange about Christmas and belonging too though.
