i married adventure

I hope one day I can say that about my life.

Summer reading is here. This year my plan is to work through what I own that I haven't read, which it quite a bit. I have the best of intentions when I purchase books, which isn't often because I prefer the library. But it takes me so long to finish books that I usually run out of library renewals. So then I buy a few books. . . it's a cycle. It would help if I could keep myself to reading one book at a time. That hasn't worked since high school/college. I'm technically still reading a book about Roe v. Wade that I started in college. . . 15 years ago. I read a few pages each year. It's interesting enough. I just can't seem to finish it.

I'm starting this summer with I Married Adventure by Osa Johnson. Memoir, which I enjoy. When I opened it up last Monday, I found a bookmark at Chapter 6. Chapters 1-5 don't ring any bells, so I suspect I really wasn't into this book when I tried reading it a few years ago. It's an early 1900s story about Osa and Martin from the Midwest who meet, re-meet, marry and travel throughout Africa and the South Pacific. Martin is a self-taught photographer. Not sure at this point who Osa is outside of Martin's wife, travel companion and equipment carrier. Well, I guess I do know she's a gifted writer.

This week I tested reading for a half hour right when I came home from work, while I'm eating dinner. Seemed to work well. I stayed awake and read for the full time. Reading before bed is usually not as productive for me. And this time around, the story is holding my attention to the point that I look forward to getting back to it on my way home from work.

This is over 400 pages. It might be the only book this summer. Especially since Brooklyn, a novel I read about recently in O, has just made it to circulation in the state library system and I think I'm next in line for the copy I requested. . .