Book Butterfly

That's what I am, as opposed to a "book worm". I wish I could say I was an avid reader, but no. If a book worm is one who reads voraciously or extensively, given the traits of a worm, then I'd have to say I'm a butterfly. My perspective of the creature is that she flits and floats from one flower to the next. Never staying long in one place, sometimes going back to a previously visited plant... That's how I am with books. I start one. I may start another. And I may even start another before having finished any of the others. A few weeks ago, I was in the middle of three books all started and different times: The Orthodox Church: New Edition
(Timothy Ware), A Textbook of Israeli Hebrew, and Song of Solomon
by Toni Morrison. Three different genres and styles of books.

I'm glad to say I did finally finish "Song of Solomon". As all the critics say of Morrison's novels, it was beautifully written. Lyrical. I don't know how else to describe the book. I've read a couple other of her books and I suppose they center on the human experience, and more specifically, the black experience. It's about about a range of emotions: love, hate, pride, anger, sorrow, etc. all withing the context of being black in America. Morrison uses poetic diction contrasted with local dialects. She speaks of realities and mixes them with the fantastical. When I get the chance, I'd like to pick up another one of her books. And I'll probably do it while in the midst of reading one or two other books!

"The Orthodox Church" is simply about the history of one of the oldest religions in the world. Coming from a Catholic background, I think it only makes sense that I study a sister faith. In fact, I am considering conversion and this has prompted my desire to learn more about the religion from which Catholicism split nearly a millennium ago. The book was recommended to me by the priest of a local Orthodox church, so I'm slowly trying to educate myself.

And finally, the Hebrew language book. I studied Hebrew as an undergrad and even audited some courses in grad school. I haven't really been using it and I'm trying to get my proficiency back up. I picked up the textbook a while back and only now am getting to it. I'm happy to find that I remember quite a bit and only need refreshing of other things. The book is divided in brief sections of only a few pages, so, completing a single section makes for a sense of accomplishment instead of pealing through lengthy chapters that never seem to end. I think after I finish the textbook, I'll try to keep up my Hebrew by reading articles online and Hebrew Reader I have on my bookshelf. I was surprised to find in the textbook that written Hebrew has a cursive form. I mean, I learned to read print form and write script form at the start of my language studies. But I simply learned to write each Hebrew letter individually; I never knew they could be connected. What a revelation! I also think it's very ugly, though. And rather illegible for me, as I am not used to seeing it. It definitely does not compete with Arabic script.

Anyway, and to close with the original topic, I start multiple things without finishing one at a time. I've got a lot going on at many fronts. And soon after finishing up the Morrison novel, what did I do? I started another book: The Middle East and North Africa by Drysdale and Blake. I guess it's a political geography kind of book. Again, another topic/genre. Sheesh. Focus, Sheena, focus!