The Year of the Flood

My mother, a former English teacher, reminded me recently that the best writers are avid readers. That makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? Writers are inspired to write from the joy they receive from reading the works of others. Each book I read is like a new exotic piece of candy to me and a vacation to another place and time. For just a few dollars, you can have an escape, a head trip to somewhere else, whether you are sitting in your living room, on a bus, or waiting for your kid's soccer practice to finish. I'm surprised today that most of my childhood photos aren't just the top of my head, peeking out from the cover of a book.

Speaking of head trips--my latest was Margaret Atwood's, The Year of the Flood. It's a rich futuristic tale with a lot of caveats about a corporate run world and genetic splicing gone wild (think lion-lamb creatures, green rabbits, and glow-in-the dark roses). It's not a funny light-hearted tale, though. It makes you think a lot about where we might be headed, and maybe, like the God's Gardeners, consider how the simple and natural things in life are the most fulfilling and life supporting. (Heads up: I give it an 'R' rating for some adult content.) Read more at http://www.yearoftheflood.com/us/.