Rhonda Dunaway
12-04-2007, 08:29 PM
Even though I occasionally watch her television show, I generally try to remain beyond the influence of Oprah and her evil empire. However, I still look at her book club picks whenever I happen to be in a bookstore because I've found that her staff does a pretty good job when it comes to selecting books.
About a week ago, I began reading her latest selection, The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett, and it is wonderful. I've never really taken a good look at Follett's novels before because I was under the impression that they were all spy novels (not a favorite genre of mine). But, The Pillars of the Earth is no spy novel. It's about life in 12th century England. The plot centers on the building of a Gothic cathedral in a small village. The vividly drawn and believable characters include villagers, forest people, outlaws, monks, church officials, aristocrats, and more. Before you think, big yawn, let me tell you that the book's got a little of everything: love, sex, loyalty, bravery, treachery, betrayal, intrigue, religion, politics, power, rivalry, revenge, everything. The way Follett describes day-to-day life in 12th century England is fascinating; you wonder how people even survived in those conditions, let alone raised their families and created a new civilization that included awe-inspiring architecture. I highly recommend this book. It's exciting, enjoyable, and informative all at the same time.
If you do decide to buy the book, here's a word of advice: save some money and search out a paperback edition of the book that is not the Oprah Book Club edition. I was fortunate enough to find a Signet paperback edition of the book at Borders Express at Oakview Mall. It was $7.99, and then I happened to have a 25% off coupon at the time, also. The Oprah Book Club edition has a list price of $24.95. True, it's a trade-sized paperback, but still I hate how they jack up the price just because her name is emblazoned on the cover -- it's that whole evil empire thing again.
And, no, Oprah, you don't get any credit for making me want to read or leading me back to reading or whatever else you imagine to be your profound mission. I've always read, and I always will. I would still be the constant inhabitant of bookstores and libraries whether or not I'd ever heard of you. The only thing for which I could be persuaded to accord you the teeniest, tiniest bit of credit would be for employing people who are smart enough to help me cut down my search time a little. That and only that.
Wow. Listen to the bitterness. And to the way I'm talking to her. Like she can actually hear me. Like she actually visits this site and reads my posts. All I can think is that holiday stress is already making me lose it.
About a week ago, I began reading her latest selection, The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett, and it is wonderful. I've never really taken a good look at Follett's novels before because I was under the impression that they were all spy novels (not a favorite genre of mine). But, The Pillars of the Earth is no spy novel. It's about life in 12th century England. The plot centers on the building of a Gothic cathedral in a small village. The vividly drawn and believable characters include villagers, forest people, outlaws, monks, church officials, aristocrats, and more. Before you think, big yawn, let me tell you that the book's got a little of everything: love, sex, loyalty, bravery, treachery, betrayal, intrigue, religion, politics, power, rivalry, revenge, everything. The way Follett describes day-to-day life in 12th century England is fascinating; you wonder how people even survived in those conditions, let alone raised their families and created a new civilization that included awe-inspiring architecture. I highly recommend this book. It's exciting, enjoyable, and informative all at the same time.
If you do decide to buy the book, here's a word of advice: save some money and search out a paperback edition of the book that is not the Oprah Book Club edition. I was fortunate enough to find a Signet paperback edition of the book at Borders Express at Oakview Mall. It was $7.99, and then I happened to have a 25% off coupon at the time, also. The Oprah Book Club edition has a list price of $24.95. True, it's a trade-sized paperback, but still I hate how they jack up the price just because her name is emblazoned on the cover -- it's that whole evil empire thing again.
And, no, Oprah, you don't get any credit for making me want to read or leading me back to reading or whatever else you imagine to be your profound mission. I've always read, and I always will. I would still be the constant inhabitant of bookstores and libraries whether or not I'd ever heard of you. The only thing for which I could be persuaded to accord you the teeniest, tiniest bit of credit would be for employing people who are smart enough to help me cut down my search time a little. That and only that.
Wow. Listen to the bitterness. And to the way I'm talking to her. Like she can actually hear me. Like she actually visits this site and reads my posts. All I can think is that holiday stress is already making me lose it.