Personal Enhancement

And not that kind...

No, this is the process where I try to grow as a person. I would describe myself as an avid reader. However, I do read a bunch of crap - to be bluntly honest. Not that I don't love my books all the same. My favorites are murder mysteries, romances and, most especially, when the two are combined! So, not surprisingly, my favorite authors tend to include Nora Roberts (also JD Robb), Heather Graham, Linda Howard, Judith McNaught, Patricia Cornwell...you get the picture. I appreciate all of these books. They're an excellent escape for me. 99% of the time, I can dive right in and read cover to cover. A blizzard outside? No way! But I think anyone who knows anything about these novels knows that they aren't really the cream of the literary crop. So, as much as I love my stories, I try to branch out and read something new.

Approximately one out of every ten books, I move toward a different genre. This has proven to be a great formula for me. It keeps my regular stories fresh and it lets me experience other types of writing. Sources for finding such reads are few and far between, but I seem to manage anyhow. My latest find came from the Salt Lake County Library staff picks. I've used this list before and found it helpful. It's not updated frequently though, so I can only use it every so often. This time, I was drawn to a novel titled The Crying Tree, by Naseem Rakha. I read only the first sentence or two of the synopsis and found myself intrigued. Usually, I can tell just that quickly. I checked out a copy from my local library (a wonderful location...but more about that some other time).

Like I haven't been able to do in a while, I dove right into this book. The best description I can think of is heart-wrenching. The story is really too complex for a synopsis - especially by someone so limited as myself - but here I go... The story follows a close-knit family of four, originally from a small town in Illinois. Their story begins with a move that uproots the family from everything they've ever known and brings them to yet another small town in Oregon. When tragic events befall the family, the reader becomes involved in the breakdown of the family. Rakha keeps the reader involved in this horribly sensitive story easily, by moving seamlessly throughout time - back and forth, as if you yourself are living day to day, struck by horrible memories.

My own life has been somewhat sheltered from death and tragedy. Though what I have experienced echoed many of the sentiments that Rakha wove throughout her tale. The desperation, emptiness and anger that emote throughout the story are described so well that you might think you were feeling these things yourself. Then, when any character experiences personal growth or happiness, the reader can't help but to be buoyed by these feelings - however transient.

Needless to say, this book impressed me. I was astounded by Rakha's ability to approach such sensitive subject matter. The author's intelligence and sensitivity are evident in the way she handcrafted her characters and built their story. Though I'd consider the novel a difficult read and not to be undertaken lightly, I'd recommend it to all.