“He saw things in a way that others did not, so that a city I had lived in all my life seemed a different place, so that a woman became beautiful with the light on her face.”
Honestly, there are times when throwin’ it back yields good things: Nestle Quik, Elmo, ripped jeans, Banana Bikes, Air Jordans, Chiclets tiny size gum, and Rankin & Bass Christmas specials to name a few. Books are no exception. Countless reads from the past cry out from my bookshelf for a re-read (a re-relish) and make me wish I could control the flow of time. Reads that make me think so many books, so little time.
If you’re a better negotiator with the clock than I, Girl with a Pearl Earring is a book you could check out with the assurance of good literary vibes. You don’t have to be knowledgeable about or a fan of the Dutch Golden Age, Johannes Vermeer, or art to enjoy Tracy Chevalier’s most celebrated novel. Griet, just sixteen years old, experiences servitude when her father was blinded by a kiln explosion. To help her family survive their collective tragedy, Griet takes up her post as a maid in Vermeer’s home. The unlikely bond that forms between master and servant inspires the charming portrait that has long secured a place in history. I agree with the reviewer who said, “This is a completely absorbing story with enough historical authenticity and artistic intuition to mark Chevalier as a talented newcomer to the literary scene." The novel does Vermeer’s painting justice: it’s beautifully written. You’ll likely remember it long after everything else goes out of style.