Greg’s Reviews > Night Train to Lisbon > Status Update

Deep read! A doctor, after being despised for keeping alive the "butcher of Lisbon" has a philosophy of "Anyone who has pain or fear can't wait." THAT"S a good doctor, wish I could fine more like that.

"Whether You were a reader or non-reader-it was quickly noticed. There was no greater distinction between people." I'm stunned when people brag they don't read. Sad.

Gregorius walks the streets of Lisbon at night and follows a man who is limping. The limping man enters a house and turns on lights, and Gregorius notices there are no books, thus he's on the wrong path. He turns to go back to his hotel, but is sideswiped by a rollerblader. His glasses fall to the ground and are destroyed, his face is bleeding. He'd taken the wrong path: the universe doubly enforces that idea.

Professor Gregorius starts his journey by walking off his job at age 57. I retired at 55. Gregorius moved (a train to Lisbon), I moved (in a car from Texas). The difference is that he is going somewhere, he doesn't know why yet, but he had to have a change. I had to LEAVE a place because it wasn't for me. But I so GET this story. Read the first chapter twice, slowly.

"50*3" Readathon begins! 50 Books By 50 Authors Born in 50 Different Countries! I pulled this off the library shelf at random, having never heard of it and thinking maybe it's by a foreign language author! YES! "Translated From the German by Barbara Harshav" reads a title page. And I SHOULD start my great literary journey on a night train to Lisbon. Oh yes I'm leavin'...