A Book Worth Reading

Earlier in the week, I visited our local library in search of a book about Sensory Processing Disorder, but when they didn't have it, I went searching for something else. Anything else.  It's against my personal beliefs to leave a library empty-handed.

2 years ago I picked up a copy of "She's Come Undone" at the Salvation Army.  I wasn't sure I'd like it, but I took it with me on a camping trip and by the time the 3 day weekend was over, I had finished it.  It was amazing.
Intense, no holds barred realism.
So, when I saw "I Know This Much is True" on the library shelf, I knew it was a book for me.Wally Lamb doesn't paint a pretty picture of his characters. They are flawed and not all of their imperfections are endearing.  But that's what I like about his books. People in real life are not perfect. We are more often jealous & antagonistic than we are altruist.
Yet, his characters do find some redemption in the end.
They don't all end up with flawless white picket fence lives but they end up with what they need, and isn't that the way it should be?  I'd rather have the things I need over the things I want.
"I Know This Much is True" is centered around the life of Dominick, a twin who's other half is a paranoid schizophrenic. He goes on a journey, both literally and within himself, to find answers to the questions of why he is living this life, and what decisions beyond his own have lead him here. He's not the selfless savior of his brother that one would expect from the hero in any other novel. He's got depth, and the story is sometimes almost too intense.  
Wally Lamb can get a little wordy, but I like that. I want all the details, I don't care how many paragraphs it takes to explain something- the more I can see it in my head, the better.
If you're looking for some Summer reading that's a bit darker than the usual paperback, this book is probably perfect for you.  It's one of those books that you can't read all at once, you have to stop and think about it for a bit before you're ready to pick it up again.
It's not going to leave your head immediately, it's a book that will stay with you for a long time, and that's the difference between a book you like and a book you love.