Dandelion Wine

I have begun a new tradition that I would like to share with anyone who would care to read about it. It is the reading of a very special book. At the beginning and end of every summer I reread a book called Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. It is the story of a boy named Douglas Spaulding and the summer he was 12 years old. So many things happen to Douglas that summer, and yet not a single one of them is out of the ordinary. There is almost no plot to this book. You can pick it up in the middle and read a chapter here or there and it wouldn't even matter that you hadn't read what happened before or what will happen after. This book is not about plot, it is about life. It is about savoring every moment of summer, and every person that crosses our paths. To use a phrase of President Thomas S. Monson it is about "finding joy in the journey".

You might be asking yourself why would I want to read a book with no plot. Well, the answer is that you might not want to read it. I can't promise that everyone who reads it will love it. However, if you have ever tried on a new pair of sneakers and felt like flying, or sat on the porch steps on a summer evening and listened to idle chatter, or wanted to build a Happiness Machine, or wanted to experience summer as a child but with the knowledge you've gained as an adult, then you will probably love this book. I will warn you though that you will probably need a box of tissues. It's just that good!