So with all of this unemployed time on my hands, you'd think I would get more reading done. It's been a bit more than usual, but not as much as I'd secretly hoped. However, the last two nights have been completely decadent from a words-consumed standpoint. First, I devoured all four volumes of Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, which my brother lent me. I had never heard of it, but it turns out to be a 4-part graphic novel written and illustrated by the director of Princess Mononoke, which is still one of the most profound experiences I've ever had at a movie. It was a bit hard to follow—it's black and white, and the characters all look similar due to the anime style—but the themes of human violence and ecological destruction that Princess Mononoke explored are dealt with deeply here too.

Yesterday then brought an unexpected gift (see Random Present Day at right): Walking Home: A Woman's Pilgrimage on the Appalachian Trail. It is exactly what it sounds like—a modern pilgrimage story, full of adventures, near-misses, and a cast of fellow wanderers straight out of Chaucer. It was inspiring in all the right ways, which is to say that it had a lot to say about perserverance and sticking to a goal, but equally as much about knowing when to detour and when to stop. The vignettes that author Kelly Miller paints about her surroundings, her internal and physical struggles, and the other hikers ring true and human, and there's a lot of humor along the way. Needless to say, I tore through this book in one sitting also.

All that, however, does little to make a dent in the huge reading pile that is one whole bookshelf in my room. I'd estimate that there's probably at least 50 books there just waiting for me, along with a pile of magazines by the bed. It's intimidating and luscious at the same time, a jungle of books where one might reach out and grab me at any point. How lovely!