Jean & I have been reading The Passage, an apocalyptic novel by Justin Cronin, a professor at Rice University.
It is a superbly crafted novel, engaging, lovely language, & demands a close reading.
The glutton reader that I am (I will give up sleep to read – I read the last volume of Harry Potter in half a day), I could not greedily consume this novel. It demanded more of me. It demanded my attention & my diligence as a reader. Perhaps it demanded my commitment to the text.
One of my favorite moments in the novel is when the governor of Texas has to release a death row inmate & the governor is Jenna Bush.
With all due respect to all the Bush women & to Justin Cronin, I believe that the next Bush governor will be George P. – Jeb's son (handsome, articulate, bi-lingual). But that is another blog.
As Jean reads, she asks me, Have you ever heard of the Texas Pledge of Allegiance?
And I tell her, Of course, I remember it, we recited it. I can't remember if we did this every day, like we did the Pledge. But we did it.
I am not sure Jean believes me.
But she doesn't remember that in Vacation Bible School, we pledged allegiance to the Christian Flag.
That, of course, does not matter. Jean remembers all the important moments.
We are both looking forward to Justin Cronin's next volume, because he left us without answers. It is due out in 2012 & it will be a long, much anticipated wait. I will read it with care & diligence.
If you are curious: Here is that insidious, unnecessary pledge:
"Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible."
And I am wondering – how many flags to we have to pledge before our commitment to this country, to its people, to the world, is honored?
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