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The Orange Girl by Jostein Gaardner
A riddle of love, life, and the universe.
Georg was just a toddler when his dad, Jan, passed away. But, years later, a mysterious letter turns up. From bumblebees to the Hubble space telescope, and of course squirrels and oranges, the content is deeply personal and moving, written for Georg by his father.
When I first read this book, I was the about the same age as Georg. Jans view of the world connected with me so deeply that the magic of life stayed with me. At that time I didn't spend much thought on the ending. Of course I would choose life, even if for a short time. I've reread this book many times since, but it is only my recent reread that made my cry. The sorrow really struck me, as now I'm the age of, if not older than Jan. I could relate to his anguish so much more, and Veronikas, when compared to the potential and hope of youth. My answer though is still unchanged.
