Βιβλία σαν το «Ο ταχυδρόμος των βιβλίων»

Όμως εκείνη άρχισε να διαβάζει από τριών ετών και τώρα, κοντεύοντας τα έξι πια, είχε τελειώσει σχεδόν όλον τον Ντίκενς. Τέτοιο παιδί ήταν η Μάντλεν, ένα παιδί που μπορούσε να σιγομουρμουρίσει κάποιο κονσέρτο του Μπαχ αλλά δεν μπορούσε να δέσει τα κορδόνια του, που μπορούσε να εξηγήσει την περιστροφή της Γης αλλά μπερδευόταν στην τρίλιζα. Και αυτό ήταν το πρόβλημα. Διότι, ενώ οι μουσι­ κές ιδιοφυΐες πάντα αναγνωρίζονται, δεν ισχύει το ίδιο για τους πρώιμους αναγνώστες. Κάτι που συμβαίνει επειδή οι πρώιμοι αναγνώστες είναι απλώς καλοί σε κάτι στο οποίο τελικά θα γίνουν καλοί και όλοι οι υπόλοιποι. Συνεπώς η πρωτιά τους δεν θεωρείται ξεχωριστή, απλώς ενοχλητική. Και αυτό η Μάντλεν το αντιλαμβανόταν.

He was about to leave through the front door when he paused at a bright burst of laughter coming from the kitchen. Against his better judgment, he tiptoed toward the sound. He passed by posters nailed to the walls, the same messages that hung in all the DICOMY-sanctioned orphanages he’d been to. They showed smiling children below such legends as WE’RE HAPPIEST WHEN WE LISTEN TO THOSE IN CHARGE and A QUIET CHILD IS A HEALTHY CHILD and WHO NEEDS MAGIC WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR IMAGINATION?

As a general rule, I like holes. A hole at the top of my tank gives me freedom. But I do not like the hole in her heart. She only has one, not three, like me. Tova’s heart. I will do everything I can to help her fill it.

Uccidere qualcuno è semplice. È quando si tratta di occultare la salma che viene il difficile. È così che finisci per farti beccare. Ma se incappi nel posto giusto, puoi tirare il fiato. È fatta. Io ho avuto la fortuna di trovare il posto perfetto. Ci vengo ancora, di tanto in tanto, solo per dare un’occhiata e controllare che sia tutto in ordine. Ma non c’è niente da vedere, e credo che mai ci sarà. A volte mi fumo una sigaretta. So che non dovrei, ma è l’unico vizio che mi è rimasto.

“And so the stone fell out of history. Until one day, when a French diamond trader, during a trip to the Golconda Mines in India, was shown a massive pear-cut diamond. One hundred and thirty-three carats. Near-perfect clarity. As big as a pigeon’s egg, he wrote, and as blue as the sea, but with a flare of red at its core. He made a casting of the stone and sent it to a gem-crazy duke in Lorraine, warning him of the rumors of a curse. But the duke wanted the diamond very badly. So the trader brought it to Europe, and the duke fitted it into the end of a walking stick and carried it everywhere.”

Alex groans. “Please, for the love of God, do not ask me. I’m on vacation. I want to get drunk and eat barbecue in peace.”His dad laughs ruefully. “You know, in a lot of ways, your mom and me were a stupid idea. I think we both knew it wouldn’t be forever. We’re both too fucking proud. But God, that woman. Your mother is, without question, the love of my life. I’ll never love anyone else like her. It was wildfire. And I got you and June out of it, best things that ever happened to an old asshole lke me. That kind of love is rare, even if it was a complete disaster.” He sucks his teeth, considering. “Sometimes you just jump and hope it’s not a cliff.”