each little bird that sings -- Deborah Wiles

Oh my GOD. You should read this book because:

1. If I was still working at the store, I'd be handing it to pretty much every customer that walked in the door. I'd also be blathering about it to all of my co-workers until they read the thing out of self-defense.

2. I was warned by a friend that "you must be prepared to bawl your eyes out. In the delicious kind of way". That was a huge understatement. I read the whole book this morning before work--by the time I was done, my shirt was drenched with tears. I'm talking about big gasping sobs, not little weenie sobs. I thought I was going to die. Don't get me wrong. There were laughing parts, too. But ultimately, "tearjerker" is not a strong enough term.

3. Then, when I got here, I told a co-worker about it and started crying all over again.

I loved it. At first it kind of reminded me of Because of Winn-Dixie, but Comfort's voice and the relationships between the characters were so different that the W-D similarities pretty much ended with the southern setting and the dog.

I don't want to give anything away. Just read it. It's wonderful. <SOB>.

(PS. C.C., Mali would love this one, I think.)

Comments

[bingsy]

I'm a wreck when a dog dies or gets lost in a book, especially if there are children involved.

[leila]

Did you read this one? (Or are you guessing about what happens?)

[c.c.]

Uh oh. Will have to check it out (but Mali is getting Russian books/tapes, she asked for it. She's on her way to Montana soon, by the way. Still bumming around.).

Would you believe that I walked into George today and filled out an application? Well I did. I did it very crappily in a not-so-secret sign of my ambivalence, but I need some extra money and well... I figure I can read all the books that I've been missing over the Christmas vacation.

[leila]

For real? You aren't making that up?

Well then. The Christmas season is about to get a whole lot more entertaining.

[c.c.]

Oh yeah. And in fact they just called. I'm working 12/20-12/31, 10-7. Yuck. I need to put together a list of all the shit you've recommended in the past couple years so I can read it really fast while I'm there.

What can I say, I need the money and the thought of re-learning how to wait tables makes me want to hurl, even though it would be more bang for the buck.

[leila]

Well then. Maybe I should come down sometime while you're working to harass you. Also I need a new pair of shoes from Berks.

And to take advantage of your discount, of course. Although personally, I think we should have a lifetime discount.

[jess]

Does it have a little map? On the flyleaf or whatever that's called? I think I read the first page or so a couple weeks ago at work. I'll have to put it on hold.

[leila]

It does. I looked at before starting, but then I never even glanced back at it once. Odd, that. Or maybe not so odd--I was pretty into it.

[jess]

Loved it.

[abby]

wow!!! i love this book!! i cried when the dog died,but it was a awesome book!!!!!!!!!!