Books & Reading
“People are crazy and times are strange I’m locked in tight, I’m out of range I used to care, but things have changed” – Bob Dylan, Things Have Changed I spent a good part of the afternoon meeting with my old boss, John. We still work together after I transferred to another department about 5 [...]
I’m already well into The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. It’s a speedy read, and it came recommended by my old boss. He thought the quirky stories about a newspaper would suit me, and he’s right. It reminds me of my short-lived days as a news journalist. These days, I’m far gone from those nobly intended [...]
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In 1996 while on a dinner break from my night job as a college newspaper copy editor, I discovered a new paperback with an interesting cover. It had some wolves and a young heroic looking fellow in the snow. I’d never heard of the book, nor the author. My friends, who also loved reading fantasy [...]
Continue reading about Up Next: A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
My Kindle robotically tells me I’m 93% through Brave New Worlds. It’s a depressing reminder how slow I am in reading this collection of short fiction. I was on a tear in December and January for reading, and now I see I’m back to my plodding pace. So, instead of my usual whining, how about [...]
Continue reading about Getting emotionally invested in narratives
The Kindle has arrived, and not far behind it a handsome black leather cover with built-in reading light. I spent way too much time looking over ebooks to buy. I’m picky about books that way. With a recommendation from my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, I finally settled on Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey. So far, it’s [...]
I’ve kicked off a new read — instant classic The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I’ve caught wind (ahem, see what I did there?) that this is big hit of a book among fantasy readers. And, the wife recommends it. So, I dived in while flying back from New York last week. So [...]
If you’re looking for books on writing, look no further than the one-two punch of The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers by John Gardner and What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers by Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter. Oh, and don’t let that subtitle fool you on Gardner’s. It’s the best text there [...]
A while back, a co-worker told me about Blood Meridien by Cormac McCarthy. This guy was older than me, like most of my co-workers at the time. He was thin, and had a kempt beard as long as I knew him. He had a bleak sense of humor, and as I got to know him over [...]
Continue reading about Are you ready for the Country? Because it’s time to go
Genre fiction power!
I’m into genre fiction. You know the place — that quirky section of the book store lumped along back walls labeled science fiction, fantasy and horror. Nearby, usually, are those kissing cousins– mystery & thrillers, graphic novels, and even a faint trace of young adult. Right now I’m reading Purity of Blood, the second in [...]
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