... then it must be Barrie Summy's Book Review Club.

(But first, because of the new FTC policy, I suppose I should state that no one strong-armed me or twisted my arm or otherwise paid me an arm or a leg or a cent to choose to review this or any other book on my blog. It’s by whim that I review the books I do. And while I do receive and read some ARCs, I will only review those I like ... and hopefully that’s enough of that. Now, on to the review.)

A lot of famous and/or classic books seemed to miss me for a variety of reasons. And when I was in San Antonio, having finished the only book I brought, Danielle Joseph’s very fun Shrinking Violet, I walked the three minutes to a B&N near my hotel, looking for something to read in restaurants while I waited for and ate my dinners.

Having already spent a lot of energy during the first few days of my school visits, I needed something that wouldn’t be angsty or particularly heart-pounding or drain me even further. So I bypassed a lot of books that were on my list. Then I saw this one: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. It was time to finally pick it up.

Now, it’s one thing to buy and read the 1968 Newbery winner. But why review a book with ample recognition, thank you very much? Why didn’t I choose to write about a lesser-known book, one that might benefit from the publicity?

It’s mostly because I was mildly shocked at the way I went about reading this book. Usually, I walk halfway through books, then read as fast as I can to outrace my annoying astigmatism that tends to make the words dance so much that I often can’t get to ‘the end’ in the next gulp.

With this book, though, I took it slowly. Savored the plot. Let it unfold to see how this brother and sister who had chosen to run away from home then camp out in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art; see how they went about trying to survive on little money, trying to solve a mystery the experts couldn’t, and trying to keep from getting caught, and also figuring a way to save face, go home again.

Often these days, books (mine included) are written at a blinding pace in order to keep kids turning pages rather than veering off to play flash-a-second video games. I loved the fact that this book took its time, but still held my attention all the way through. And I appreciate how it may have taught me much as a writer.