Thursday, June 1, 2017

My Undiscovered Treasure is One of the Most Popular Books in the World



The past month has been exceptionally hot here in Paris, and when the temperatures climb, one of my favorite things to do is curl up with a great book.

I know… Most people do this when the temperatures drop, but I've always had a “counter-trend” mentality. And this is exactly why it took me so long to read the series that currently has me under its spell. 

Can you guess what I’m referring to? 

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, of course. The book and TV series had gotten so much attention, that I, with my love of poking around bookshops for undiscovered treasures, pooh-poohed Outlander for a long while without even paying attention to what it might be about. I figured it was one of those very commercial adventure sorts of stories and left it at that. (Shame on me.)

And then one day last year, more by accident than anything else, I happened to read the Outlander blurb/book description. Hmm, this sounded right up my alley. REALLY right up my alley. Counter-trend I am, but unbendable I am not. I would give this thing a try. And hence, the love affair began.

But as I devoured the first book, I actually didn’t regret my late-to-the-party status. I have an advantage that the earlier readers do not. I don’t have to wait for the next book! With a little luck, I’ll finish the current titles as the next one is published or afterward. 

For those of you who weren’t late to this literary party, I don’t have to tell you why Gabaldon’s series is so fabulous. I will tell you why I became addicted to it after the first few pages. It’s clear that Gabaldon knows how to do her research, and that’s impressive, but what I most love is her storytelling ability. She is a born storyteller. Pure and simple. 

After all of this, will I now give the bestseller lists a chance rather than passing them by for the more off-the-beaten-path selections? Probably. Selectively. Once I’ve finished the Outlander series






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