Oh yeah, some good books I read before the accident...

If you’re looking for some off-the-wall stories, ‘Villa Incognito’ by Tom Robbins should fit the bill. Its an odd mix of fantasy, fable and commentary on the modern world. It’s a quick read and will put a smile on your face. Entertaining, but not filling.

Somewhat lengthy and certainly more detailed is Yann Martel’s, ‘Life of Pi’. I had heard a number of positive reviews of this award-winning book, so I went in with high expectations. What I came out with was the movie ‘Cast Away’ on a rowboat. Some unusual circumstances, a story of survival and exhaustive detail on how, what and when food and water entered and left the boy named Pi. A bit much for me, frankly. Not to say there aren’t interesting, reflective passages, but the book oversells itself by, at one point early in the book, saying, “I have a story for you that will make you believe in God”. For me, it was more a story of one boy’s determination to live. Overall, read it if you’re looking for a story of survival or are searching for a reason not to cross the ocean by boat – otherwise its over-hyped.

Thanks to my parents who left behind ‘The Rule of Four’ by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason, I was able to read what I’m hearing was one of the most popular books of the summer. Apparently written before, but much in the same vain as ‘The DaVinci Code’, ‘The Rule of Four’ tracks four modern-day Indiana Jones-types who are trying to graduate from Princeton, but seem to find time to decipher one of the more obscure and heavily encoded books in the world. Like the ‘Code’, this was a fast, enjoyable and even somewhat invigorating book. The character development was taken seriously, and the relationships between them were almost real. This was particularly true for the protagonist and his girlfriend, which I was able to relate to a bit too well. In the end, its not a new classic of literature, but a must for lovers of adventure and discovery.

I’ve been hearing about and thinking about reading and almost, but not quite, buying ‘A Walk in the Woods’ by Bill Bryson for a long time now. It finally showed up in the case in Yaoundé and I brought it home. It was worth the wait, since it was really funny, insightful and one of the better books I’ve read in a long time. I literally laughed out loud during some sections and was able to completely relate to Bill and his trials and tribulations. Its less a book about hiking and camping than it is about the search for beauty and appreciation in a world that goes too fast. As my grandmother used to say, “Along the way, take time to smell the flowers” - and read this book.