What books am I thankful for?
by Jud Ashman, Chair
I promise I won’t punt on the question (like Robin Ferrier did!) but, at the risk of being trite, I must say first that I’m thankful, in some way, for every book I’ve read. They’ve all taught me something – even the crappy ones (if nothing else, I learned never to read that author again).
I’m most grateful for the books that have brought me profoundly closer – closer to people, closer to faraway places, closer to long-ago times, closer to understanding the big picture, and closer to understanding myself.
Thanksgiving is a time for family, so I’m going to focus on a few selections that have brought me closer to members of the family: namely my cousin, my father, and my son.
When we were young kids, my cousin Jason turned me on to the Lloyd Alexander “Chronicles of Prydain” series. They had everything in them: good, evil, love, sacrifice, chivalry, and high adventure. We’d trade books, we’d discuss; we were absolutely transported. And, I think our shared love for those books helped set the tone for a life-long friendship – and continued exchange and discussion of great writing.
During my teenage years, when I was just plain obnoxious and insufferable (even more so than now), my father, who also wasn’t an easy guy to be close with, would give me books to read – or perhaps “assign them” is more accurate. When they worked, it was great – as with “Marathon Man” and “Lord of the Flies.” However, when they didn’t, it was something of a minor disaster. Come on, Dad! I was too young for “Man’s Fate” by Andre Malraux! What were you thinking?
My father and I still share books. Only, these days, I’m doing much more of the “assigning.” (At some point, I shall figure out a way to get back at him for Malraux.)
Much later, as a father myself, I often had a difficult time connecting with my son Jeff. And, as with my father, books were there for us to help bring us closer. They gave us something to share, and opened some doors that otherwise might’ve stayed shut. “Mystic River,” “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay,” “Lonesome Dove,” “The Killer Angels,” and “Devil in the White City” just to name a few.
The most significant for us, however, was a book we shared during a particularly rough period. Jeff was working at the office with me, and as we were plugging away on some big projects, we listened to an audio version of “The Count of Monte Cristo.” It was such a rich, immersive experience – we loved the language (often the case for us with 19th century writing) and the wonderful characters. It felt like we took a trip together – just the two of us – to the old world, and danced to the sweet music of the sirens.
I’ll never forget it, and I’ll forever be grateful.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!