Hungry for Hunger Games

OK, so I am not a 14 year-old teen, but man did I eat up some Hunger Games last Friday night.  Ever since, I have been chomping at the bit to get into the second (of the three) books in the Suzanne Collins trilogy, but am currently back in slow-read gear.  I am reading, “The Swerve: How The World Became Modern.”  At first, I thought it was a book on how to get my swerve on, but it is not (and yes I had to look up what that even meant).

In thinking about how the world became modern, I would have guessed that the answer to the question of modernity is something simple like, “many inventions were made as time passed by.”  But no such luck.  50 pages into the 300 leaves and I we are still stuck in the dark ages.  An Italian scribe, Poggio, just traveled to a German monastery and and found a treasure trove of ancient Roman texts.  Pretty cool!

While the following Poggio’s trapse through the ancient world is *very* interesting, my mind keeps wandering back to thoughts about what adventures may befall Katniss in her next adventure.  Will she survive?  Is her BFF hunter buddy, Gale Hawthorne, jealous of Peeta?  Or does Gale understand that Katniss was only doing what she could to stay alive?  Will Peeta fulfill his destiny and join an Emo band where his teen angst can be unleashed for all the world to enjoy?  I got Katniss fever.

There are just too many exciting mysteries to contemplate.  For now, I must be satisfied with the mystery of whether or not Poggio will convince the monastic librarian to let him see the ancient tombs of parchment, and copy them for all the world to see.  Of course he does, or else I guess this book wouldn’t have devoted 50 pages to him and there wouldn’t be much of a story.   There goes the mystery, but the unfolding tale of “how” is still pretty incredible.

Even though we already know the final answer of Poggio’s exciting drama, reading through it will have to abide my hunger until I actually do get my swerve on and pick up Katniss’ tale in Catching Fire.  Step aside, Judy Bloom.  There is a new game in town.