A book that took my breath away.

Was I surprised that The Madman of Piney Woods was incredible?  Masterful? Quotable and so memorable that it will now go on my list of "10 Books that Influenced You "if I ever get Facebook tagged again?
No.  It didn't surprise me at all.  Because that is just who Christopher Paul Curtis is.  I've been really blessed to meet a couple of incredible authors at various conferences over the years.  If I ever got the chance to meet CPC, I think I would just faint.  I know I couldn't put together a complete sentence. In I don't want to recap the book, I am no good at that.  But man, man, man I wish that I could make this required reading for every friend I have.  And people I don't know, so that I could make more friends! Because this book is a gift from CPC to the world.  Incredible.  Incredible.  Incredible.
Come on, Newbery.  Here is your winner.

Christopher Paul Curtis

has become an author that I love, love, love.  Elijah of Buxton was incredible.  Christopher Paul Curtis had my heart with The Mighty Miss Malone and now I am just reading everything I can that he has written.  Elijah of Buxton had me quoting and reading out-loud to my mom.  It had me in tears.  I didn't know anything about Buxton, I am ashamed to say. 
The thing is, I have an aunt who won't read fiction at all because she says that she doesn't want to waste her time.  She only reads nonfiction because she can learn from it.  Well, I have learned so much from fiction. 
Oh man...this is a book that I want everyone to read because I just want to talk about it.  Incredible.  Everyone.  Everyone should read this beautiful book. 
As I look at the Newbery Award for that year, I am just sickened.  If this isn't 1954, then I don't know what is.