the tightrope to the sun

'It was a Monday and they walked on a tightrope to the sun'

These words are the most beautiful I have read in quite some time. I have been reading lately - a new and novel experience for me, and one which I have made an agreement with myself that I shall continue. I do read a lot, but usually academic journals, research reports, interview transcripts, or psychology or counselling related study material. It has been something of a miracle to allow myself the time to read books. Stories and novels and life. Oddly enough, I associate books with places too. Where was I when I read those words? When my life meant something a little more than before because I understood the words between the lines and the meaning between the pages? When I discovered the truth? When I learnt the meaning of the truth? When I learnt that really the truth is not a global truth, but an individual truth...

Anyway, I have been reading The Book Thief over the past week - it requires real attention. Attention to detail, not because it is challenging to read; it is actually very easy to read from page to page, but the artistic and poetic way of writing that Markus Zusak has requires the reader to read his words slowly. The book is one to be immersed in. A story narrated by 'death' does not sound enlightening, but it certainly has kept my mind fully captivated for hours on end as I've been travelling. And there are moments when the words hit me so much that I have to stop and read them over again.