The Queen is back in her castle. All is right in the world.
Thanks for the warm wishes last week. The community that has sprung forth from this blog is notable for its kindness, for which I am grateful. It's also nice to see some familiar names that followed this space as far back as the Tour de France days still checking in. Say what you will about social media and the internet, but I lucked out with this readership.
So, thanks.
The boys came home for Christmas. At one point, we talked books. I do not want to give the impression that we gather around the hearth and have a literary salon on a regular basis, because I have been told on more than one occasion that this is what people think writers do.
But that's what happened. As we sat before the fireplace on Christmas night, the discussion turned to books. The usual: what everyone's reading, not reading, favorite books, favorite authors. Kindle versus hardcover. Very pop culture. Not a word about the classics. It came up that my oldest son's wife has a fondness for Russian history, but had not read A Gentleman in Moscow. It's fiction. I think everyone should read it at least once. I've given copies to several friends.
I keep a short list of books I want the world to read. A very short list, actually. Other than Taking London and the other Taking books, that list is limited to Michael Herr's Dispatches and Amor Towles' A Gentleman in Moscow. I even keep extra copies in my library to give away as needed. Brand new. Never opened. Ready to gift in the hope it will bring joy.
And so it was that I rushed to my office, grabbed a book, and handed Anne a brand new copy of A Gentleman in Moscow.
The conceit when you gift someone a book you love very much is that you must never ask whether or not they liked it, or even read it. This is not college — no required reading lists, no tests. It's about the simple pleasure of reading. If that individual circles back in a couple weeks or a couple months or a couple years and remarks that they loved or hated the book, then we can have a discussion.
I also recently did this with Taking Midway — though for the very selfish reason of wanting a knee-jerk reaction. I gave a few friends the manuscript. Among these was a Vietnam War navy vet. The response was unanimous, not only saying nice things about the storytelling and narrative voice, but in the case of the navy guy, penning notes in the margins. Man, when you sweat every word in every sentence and people come back to tell you that your instincts were right... that's a great feeling.
Yet it's different when it's one of my books that I hand off because I am seeking ways to make it more bulletproof. As I've written many times before, authors are competitive. So when I fanboy for another writer because their work is so great, my words are very genuine.
If you have time this week, take a moment and drop me an email about which favorite book you suggest most to friends. This isn't a contest, just a curiosity. If you want to take it one step further, give away a book as a new year's gift to someone who has done something kind for you in 2024. I believe a well-chosen book means more, and says more about your genuine friendship than almost any gift imaginable.
Happy New Year. May your 2025 be filled with hope, love, travel, and at least one book that fills your soul.