me and gene

For a guy who starts dozens of books a year and finishes reading absolutely none of them, something happened at the beginning of this week that was about as commonplace as ants on the sidewalk: I started a book. Not just any book, I’d like to point out. A book by a guy named gene. Yes. My life is about as exciting as folding socks. Meh…could be worse I suppose. Well, something amazing happened today. I finished the book. The same book, by gene.

While this book may not sound totally exciting, it was actually a fascinating read. It started with me sitting next to the window in 27A as we’re taxiing down the runway, chewing on some 2hr old gum trying to keep my ears normal during the flight and cracking open the pages of this book. Gene, a columnist for the washington post, compiled over 20 years of his greatest hits, captivating stories and lessons on issues from infant hyperthermia to fiddlers in the subway to the tale of the Great Zucchini, into a tidy book that bears the title describing his most renown piece.

This book made me laugh, it made me tear, it made me sad, and it made me smile. I’ve never encountered a book quite like this, but at the same time, this isn’t really a book, but a mere compilation of his opinions over the years. Gene is one of the most gifted storytellers I’ve come across, and I’m not over exaggerating. With two Pulitzers under his belt, he easily lets you feel in control as he starts the story, setting the scene by describing the world the way you think it is (or should be), before uncovering how it really is.

Between seat 27A, 20,000ft above the ground, where I started this book, and my comfy chair at home where I wrapped it up, gene took me on a journey that not only challenged the way I viewed certain aspects of the world as I knew it, but left me wanting to read more of the same. Stuff like this makes me want to finish more of the books I start. Maybe instead of typing I should go finish another one. Meh…we’ll see.