The Old Coot reads in chunks

By Merlin Lessler —

I started rereading a book that I first read in 2018 – “The Shipping News,” by E. Annie Proulx. A nice read! 9.9 on a 1 to 10 scale. I learned many years ago that I could reread a book after five years, and most of it would seem new, as if I had never read it before. 

This reread was especially nice since the binding came apart and the book split into six sections. I like that. I could tuck a section into my back pocket and retrieve it whenever I had spare time. I read four sections while in Florida and the final two in New York. I loved that I didn’t have to lug a 337 page book in my always too full carry-on, when I flew home.  

I would appreciate it if publishers could be more innovative and release books that break into manageable sections. Easy to hold over your head in a hammock or a recliner, unlike one of James Michner’s or Stephen King’s 900 pagers. King got innovative in 1996 and published “The Green Mile” in sections, releasing a new 100 page pocket book every month for six months. He wrote it as he went along, not even knowing himself how it would end. For six months, he wrote and then published. The first five sections were approximately 100 pages long, while the last was 140 pages. What a fantastic way to experience a story. I recently reread it, 28 years later, this time with the image and sound of Tom Hanks’ voice, who starred in the movie. What a delightful experience. I was on a river cruise on the Rhine and kept a section in my pocket to read whenever the tour guide rambled on. 

I enjoy reading, whether it’s hardcovers, softcovers, new or used books, Kindle books, and once in a while an audiobook. One of the best in that category was “Pontoon,” a novel set in Lake Wobegon, narrated by the author, Garrison Keillor. What a treat. All good, but sectioned books are the most convenient to carry around. I think I’ll start buying cheap, used books and break them into sections I can roll up and carry in my back pocket. I can get away with doing that because I’m an Old Coot, which allows me a lot of freedom to do my own thing, like the hippies from the generation I grew up in.

Comments? Complaints? Send to – mlessler7@gmail.com.