I’m getting pretty close to finishing What is the What, but I had to take a short break over the past few days. I went to Florida for a few days and blew through several hundred pages, until I came to an event in the book that was so sad that I couldn’t get it out of my head and it wound up affecting my ability to enjoy myself on vacation. Normally my definition of “beach reading” is a little strange – I usually forgo Helen Fielding and opt for the more depressing themes and settings of Dostoevsky or Dickens. I figure where better to read about the dreary Russian winter than a hot sandy beach? I guess that theory doesn’t apply when you’re reading about actual real-life atrocities.

Anyway, What is the What is an amazing book so far, so much so that I feel like I carry Ackak with me everywhere I go. Somehow whatever I’m doing, he’s always in the back of my mind, casting a sad shadow over everything I do. I think I needed to separate myself for a few days, so I started reading Founding Brothers, which is considerably less emotionally draining (and a little bit boring). I’m back to What is the What now though, since I have to finish by April 30th to keep up with this goal.