Library staff recently contributed a piece to LehighValleyNews where we recommended our favorite books we read this year. One of the top choices was Abraham Verghese’s Covenant of Water, recommended by Michele. Through a friend of his who coincidentally lives in the Lehigh Valley, Mr. Verghese was able to read the piece which discussed how well loved his book was. To our surprise, he reached out with an email thanking Michele and expressing his appreciation for the work libraries and librarians do in connecting authors with readers. His kind words warmed our heart and we wanted to share his letter here. (He said it was okay.) Thank you, Abraham, and thank you to readers and writers everywhere!
Dear Michele,
I saw my book COVENANT OF WATER mentioned in the Lehigh Valley News as one of your top recommended books! (A friend living in the area sent it on. So glad she did.) I was so touched by your succinct and poignant praise. I wanted to say thank you. One writes in such isolation imagining that moment when a reader’s eyes will fall on the words and the story unfold for them.
So when you said that you “did not want the book to end” … well that was music to my ears. Publishers and consumers grumble about big books. But when I hear the reader (and especially a librarian) say they did not want it to end I feel vindicated. My journey as a writer must have begun as a boy in the libraries of my youth (though my reading of THE CITADEL and OF HUMAN BONDAGE drew me to medicine and not writing. That came later.) What you and your colleagues do is invaluable. It is reassuring to know in this day and age that you are there putting books into the hands of readers. So thank you for the endorsement which this morning as I take stock felt like a particular blessing. It has been a great year for me after many trials with this book.
Thank you and happy new year to you from a grateful writer.
Always,
Abraham
Abraham Verghese
Stanford University
