Monday, July 25, 2011

Reading: 2nd Best Form Of Escapism

Hey-lo!

I thought I would be next in line to borrow a book meme from the bestest blog guy from the other side of the pond. There are lots of bestest blog guys and gals in my tiny little world, but Joey is the bestest from where he's from.

With giving the proper credit safely out of the way, we can now move on to one of my favorite forms of escapism. Without further ado, I bring you a little bit more about myself that you may not have known (if that's possible).

What have you just read? I've just finished reading the book Blood Hunter by Sidney Williams. This little piece of pure creepiness was recommended to me by another regular reader of mine a few months ago and even though I mentioned in a previous post that it made my head spin at times, when I sat back down with the intention of spending about twenty minutes or so reading it, I grossly miscalculated. I spent the next hour or so finishing the book because it kept me spell bound the rest of the way through.

What are you reading now? Arson by Estevan Vega. I wrote about this a week ago, so I've been reading it on my break at work. I haven't read YA in decades, so I'm a bit confused about whether or not what I'm reading is considered to be normal writing for YA. I will give him credit for his characterization though. He has one main character that is thoroughly loathsome and one completely sympathetic.

Do you have any idea what you'll read when you're done with that? Possibly. I have The Covered Wagon and Night Brothers in the queue.

What books did you read as a child? Gobs and gobs of non-fiction, be it pop culture or historical/biographical.

What's one book that you always recommend to just about anyone? None. I usually keep my opinions about books to myself (cough, cough, COUGH).

Admit it, sadly the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis don't they? Nope. Only at the State Library, where I'd worked from 1996 thru 2003, and the only perk I get from that is that I can bypass the metal detector about 50% of the time.

Is there a book that you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don't like it at all? Books that I find interesting (for example, comic strip compilations featuring Bloom County) people give me a seriously weird look.

Do read books while you eat? Absolutely. However, I make an exception for certain types of true crime books (like anything that has to do with forensics for example), because quite frankly, some of that stuff can be a real stomach churner.

While you bathe? I don't take baths, just showers.

While you watch t.v. or movies? Never.

While you listen to music? Never.

While you're on the computer? Normally, I just read e-zines and blogs on the computer. However, I did read this book and left this opinion about it.

What's the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good that you couldn't put it down? Last year I started exploring other genres of fiction in earnest. I found a book by Erica Kennedy called Feminista. Even though it was an interracial romance, the book was such a page turner that I spent about twelve hours spread out over two days (Saturday and Sunday) reading it. Excellent book and I highly recommend it.

Has any books made you cry? Sadly (no pun intended), no. I've experienced a full range of emotions while reading, but never had a book that put me into tears after I'd finished reading it.

This is post #698

13 comments:

  1. I only like to read when it is quiet in the house. I can remember a time when I used to study with music on - how did I do that? And the people who have moved in downstairs from me - OMG. What's the deal with the thumping music all day? :)

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  2. Lynn: There are certain reading related things that I like to do while listening to music, like research and other self-inflicted forms of abuse.

    Never studied with music in my younger days and as for absolute quiet, that's not really a given for me. I can read almost anywhere.

    I've grown used to loud thumping music, but I can see where that would be serious problem having bleed through your floors.

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  3. Ha ha, thanks for the plug. Let's face it I'm the only blogging guy you know from the UK right? :D

    I actually got side tracked looking at Erica Kennedy rather than her book. ;D

    I agree eating and true crime don't go well together!

    Nice Meme! Thanks for joining in!

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  4. Glad you enjoyed "Blood Hunter." I'm gonna have to post something like this on my reads.

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  5. Joe: You're more than welcome for the plug.

    I agree, it's very easy to get sidetracked looking at Erica Kennedy. :D

    Charles: Like I said, there were parts that initially made my head spin, but became clearer once I got further in the book.

    A very good read it was and I was surprised on how much I enjoyed it.

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  6. Since I've deliberately reduced my extra-curricular activities for health reasons, I've gotten back into reading in a big way. I usually have four or five books on the go at any given time. I'm impressed that you read so much nonfiction as a kid. When I was young I only had time for novels. Now I try for a balance.

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  7. S.R.: I never got into fiction until I was in my late 20's/early 30's, simply because I didn't care for it much.

    However, when I discovered Historical fiction, that hooked me right then and there. That genre and the occasional western and sci-fi/fantasy, became the only fiction that I read with any kind of consistancy until I started writing fiction some six years ago.

    However, I was always fascinated by pop culture and non-fiction of all types and continued to be so to this very day.

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  8. Ever randomly pick up a book, read it with fascination only to then discover you actually hated it in retrospect?

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  9. Second best, eh? What's the best?

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  10. Darth: Never really got that far with a book that I hated. Books that I hate never get completed.

    Only two writers fall into that category:

    Robert Jordan & L. Ron Hubbard.

    My views on the late Robert Jordan are pretty well known. In a nutshell, with his "Wheel Of Time" book series, he soured me on the fantasy genre for almost two decades. L. Ron Hubbard writes stuff that you need an IQ of 140 and deep understanding of dianectics and scientology to comprehend.

    R.: I leave that unanswered question for people to ponder for the upcoming days/weeks/months/years. Someday I may reveal what is #1.

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  11. What?? People give you seriously weird looks when you mention Bloom County comic compilations?!? Well, that just makes THEM weird, because Bloom County is awesome. In fact, I might have a couple compilations on my OWN bookshelf... :)

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  12. Lisa: Unfortunately this is the norm. Most people in my real world either do not have a great exposure to pop culture, or their exposure to pop culture starts somewhere in the mid to late 90's and goes forward.

    My favorite strips from the 80's were Bloom County, The Far Side, and Calvin and Hobbes. They rocked then and they still rock now.

    Mama Z: Beyond a shadow of a doubt. BTW, Berkley Breathed has a Facebook page.

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G. B. Miller

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