Paul and Art and booklists

Home from a quick trip to see family, I settled onto the sofa with my bag of papers in the process of being graded, but I stole a quick look at the Living section of the Sunday paper. As we clicked through the channels, stopping for a little NFL action, we stopped on a concert at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, evidently, when we saw Simon and Garfunkel performing "Bridge over Troubled Water," a song I not only loved, but sang on the school bus with Susan McMurtrey when it was on the charts way back when.

Seeing them play prompted me to do a quick search, remembering that I had read that Art Garfunkel had maintained a list of books he had read since the late sixties. Sure enough, I found his official site where he listed them. In the past two or three years (the only part I allowed myself the luxury of perusing for now--I have papers to grade!), he had read a mix of old and new, fiction and nonfiction. I saw a few I'd read, many I hadn't.

Still, I respect his consistent list-making. I have kept my own list for several years now. I write authors and titles on my wall calendar month by month, then at the end of the year, I transfer them into my "Bookwoman" notebook. Since I share my own reading in this particular forum, I get lots of unexpected feedback. One sister is still holding a grudge because I panned an author she liked; several friends, I've learned, have picked books from my list. I learned long ago that some people won't love the books I do. I enjoy a lively discussion, even without coming to a consensus.

I wonder if Art cares if I read from his list or not? He'd probably be happy enough to know I still listen to his music.

Paul and Art and booklists