At Christmas time, I started reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. I read this many years ago but I was struck a couple months ago when I heard some stupid movie or TV characters describing their favorite scene from Huck Finn. I realised I couldn't even remember the scene they described, let alone pick out my favorite part.
I decided I would re-read the book. The only copy of the book I had was my mom's copy from her teenage years. It was the same copy of this classic that she read for the first time and it's the same book I read for the first time many years ago. It is beaten up, the pages stained yellow from age and the spine broken and flapping in the wind. I was terrified to turn the pages, thinking that with each page turned it would disintegrate in my hands. I began reading but my fears out weighed my desire to continue. I eventually got a new copy from B&N. My mom's copy rests at ease back in my book shelf. I know it's sentimental but I can't part with the copy that we both broke our teeth on Twain with.
Back to the reading and really the reason for this post...I wanted to rush through the book, like I do so many things in my life. But I realise the point of me reading Huck Finn again was to pick my favorite part, I couldn't do this if I was going to gobble it up as fast as possible and put the book back down again. So I started just reading 5-10 pages occasionally. I am slowly making it through what I believe to be Twain's master piece. (Yes even more so than Tom Sawyer) Occasionally, I will even read aloud in true oldtime southern accent. "Da widder wat gana 'end me up da ri'ter." I am loving savoring and contemplating on every moment, reading foot notes and antidotes on Twain's word choices, looking up history and cultural references.
I haven't picked my favorite moment but I have a couple that are standing out. I am charmed by Huck and even more so by Twain himself. It's gotten me thinking...What's your favorite book?
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