Life continues to be turned upside down by the Coronavirus pandemic that has taken the nation by storm. Communities large and small have shelter-in-place orders. Restaurants are relegated to takeout and delivery service only. Group meetings of more than 10 are essentially forbidden. Human interaction in America is limited to distances of 6 feet in the name of “social distancing.” This week, classes resumed at Wayland with a significant change — all classes have been transitioned to an online format.
The changes caused by COVID-19 have upturned my routine as well. In an effort to avoid being confined in a small aircraft with possible virus carriers, my parents and I decided the best option for my return to Texas would involve renting a car and driving home. Once I got back, my days were filled with figuring out how to put my classes entirely online and making sure that my students were engaged and that their needs were being met while they were away from the Plainview campus. In spite of all of the changes, I still managed to maintain my reading routine this week.
My time on the road at the beginning of the week was made lighter with the sounds of Julie Andrews reading her memoir Home. What a tremendous book this was. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook and finished it shortly after picking up my car from the airport’s long-term parking lot. With the memoir complete, I returned to the pages of Chaim Potok’s In the Beginning. Like most of Potok’s writing, this novel is a challenging read while still rewarding. I’m finding that my reading pace is a little slower as I absorb the words on the page because I simply must be engaged at every turn in order to follow the story line. In the Beginning is set in New York City during the time of the Great Depression as the Jewish community that David Lurie is growing up in comes to terms with the horrors facing Jews in eastern Europe as Hitler and the Nazi party gain strength. It is a historical era that fascinates me. I especially enjoy books that explore the Jewish perspective when it is coupled with their unwavering faith. I’ve read over half of the novel at this point and anticipate finishing it up this week.
So what’s next in my reading stack? I know I need to get back to the Brahms biography I’ve been reading off-and-on all year long. However, the current climate in my community is not lending itself to such scholarly reading. I think I’ll probably dive into the first book of the Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer after finishing up with the Potok.
Reading for Me 
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