A Book and a Nap

There are few things more glorious than the Saturday afternoon nap. After lunch with Gage and Shane at McDonald's and a quick run through Wal-Mart, I could feel the strong pull of a nap coming on. Laying on the bed with a light blanket, I read a few pages of "So Brave, Young, and Handsome" by Leif Enger. I found it yesterday in the bargain bin at Barnes and Noble. Several years ago I read his first book, "Peace Like a River". It was exciting to see that he'd written another book. Leif Enger is from Minnesota and "Peace Like a River" takes place mostly in western Minnesota and North Dakota. I have a richer experience with a book when I can picture the landscapes where the action is played out. I can almost feel that I have a personal "knowing" of the characters because I know the places. Local social systems and cultures have a powerful influence on personalities and values. The characters are "my people" when they're from "my places". I'm especially fascinated by an author that has vast knowledge of people and places he or she hasn't experienced personally. For example, a male author who writes in the female person. How can he possibly know what it's like to be a woman? Yet, many times the author seems to understand female emotions and intuitions better than I do. And I'm a woman! (and have been for a long time)

Anyway, I've digressed from my nap. After reading a few pages of the book, my eyes began blurring over. The nap was pushing in hard. I put my head on the pillow and fell fast and deep into the sweet slumber of a Saturday afternoon.