Bout of Books 14 has officially begun. I doubt I’ll get through all the material I’ve selected to read but I’ll have fun trying. I’d like to say I started this read-a-thon with a bang, but I didn’t. It’s so hard to tear myself away from the internet and the TV, when the internet is unavailable. But once I settled down to read, I was golden, as long as I didn’t hear any notices from my Ipad or phone. It’s so hard to stay focused when reading at home. Maybe tomorrow will be better.
Monday, Day 1 progress
Books read
The Wife of His Youth by Charles W. Chesnutt
Jason and the Argonauts by Apollonius of Rhodes (100/271 pages)
Books completed
The Wife of His Youth by Charles W. Chesnutt
Quick synopsis
It’s a short story (click here read it on The Atlantic’s website) about a man whose wife has found him after searching for 25 years after slavery is abolished. The man is light-skinned and is a member of a prestigious organization in his community that’s prejudiced against dark-skinned Blacks. He was considering to marry a light-skinned woman within the organization when his wife, who is darker and older, shows up.
Quick thoughts
The story was first published in July 1898 (Wikipedia). Reading it today, it gives a glimpse into race relations within the Black community in the past, while illuminating obstacles that the Black community haven’t yet overcome in the present.
For a list of books I plan to read, see my first post.
Zezee with Books 