The Ferguson Library dedication in 1982
It took me five months, but I finally finished “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,” by Alex Haley. The thick novel has been sitting on a bookshelf for longer than it should, one of the many “to-dos” that I don’t always have time to do. I was too young to read it when it was published in 1976, though I recall watching parts of the ensuing (and highly successful) miniseries, which aired a year later.
The 500-plus page book is a narrative account of one of Haley’s descendants, Kunta Kinte, who was captured near his home in the Gambia in Africa in the mid-1700s and brought to America where he was sold into slavery. The story tracks every successive generation up to the life of the late author, who spent about 12 years in the 1960s and ‘70s, traveling across multiple continents, visiting numerous libraries and institutions and poring over many documents to authenticate the stories that had been passed down through the generations.
It may seem nerdy to some, but I am sure the bookworms out there can relate to the satisfaction of finally finishing a book, particularly a big one. The reason I bring this up is to remind readers that the Adult Summer Reading Club has begun at the Ferguson Library. Its theme this year is “Rediscover Reading,” which I was lucky enough to do about a year ago. Not to be left out, children and teens will have a chance to join their own reading clubs beginning next week.
I believe there is still time to enjoy some quiet reading, even in a season that swirls with activities – outdoor concerts, picnics, fireworks, vacations, camps and other events. It was a summer many years ago that I read what has to be one of my favorite books of all time, “A Wrinkle in Time,” by Madeleine L’Engle. What’s yours?
*We borrowed Christina’s post from the Stamford 411 blog. Thanks, Christina.
