Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

This book has nothing to do with Africa.

This book has nothing to do with being a Foreign Area Officer.

This book has nothing to do with foreign affairs.

This is a book about journeys.
                                                And about getting lost,
 and being okay with it.

I could tell you that the book is about a precocious and gifted 9 year old whose father is killed in the twin towers on 9-11 and that boy's journey to find some meaning and respite in the midst of his grieving.

But perhaps most useful would be for me to describe the places I read this book.

Everywhere.

I read this while running on the treadmill in the bowels of the PGON at the gym there.  After my run was finished I stood on the dormant treadmill for ten minutes engrossed.

I read this stepping off the green line metro at the U Street stop.  I read it while walking up to the escalator and then while riding up it in the right lane.  And then I took three steps off the metro and leaned against the outside of the Quiznos and finished the book's final pages.

I walked home with heavy boots.


And I was okay with that.



http://www.amazon.com/Extremely-Incredibly-Close-Jonathan-Safran/dp/0618329706