They say that writers should read a lot. It's good for the
creative process. I love to read. My creative process, however,
seems to be stuck right now.
So, as much to fill up space here and offer something
(boring as my readers may find it), I made a list of the
books I've read so far this year.
Try not to swoon too soon...
1. Mockingbird, a Portrait of Harper Lee, by Charles J. Shields.
2. Lessons In Becoming Myself, by Ellen Burstyn.
3. Wrapped In Rainbows, the life of Zora Neale Hurston, by Valerie Boyd.
4. Girl, Interrupted, by Susanna Kaysen.
5. Tolkien, A Biography, by Michael White.
6. Clapton, the Autobiography.
7. Sometimes Madness Is Wisdom: Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, by
Kendall Taylor.
8. Ava Gardner "Love Is Nothing", by Lee Server.
9. Gene Wilder, Kiss Me Like A Stranger.
10. Morrie: In His Own Words, by Morrie Schwartz.
11. For One More Day, by Mitch Albom.
12. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.
13. The Spooky Art: Thoughts On Writing, by Norman Mailer.
14. Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul, by Canfield, Hansen and Gardner.
15. The Courage To Write, by Ralph Keyes.
16. Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life, by Natalie Goldberg.
17. Unholy Ghost: writers on depression, by Nell Casey.
18. Spiritual Notes to Myself, by Hugh Prather.
19. Walking On Alligators, by Susan Shaughnessy.
20. Write Your Heart Out, by Rebecca McClanahan.
21. The Demon-Haunted World, by Carl Sagan.
22. Night, by Elie Wiesel.
23. A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini.
24. Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini.
25. Without Remorse, by Tom Clancy.
26. The Bookseller of Kabul, by Asne Seierstad.
27. Close Quarters, by Larry Heineman.
28. The Blog of War, by Matthew Currier Burden.
29. Blood Brothers, by Michael Weisskopf.
30. Flags of Our Fathers, by James Bradley with Ron Powers.
does this list say anything about me, other than, I'm single
and have no children? hmmmm...
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22 comments:
It says you have a damn sight more time than I do and I'm jealous...
I really miss reading a lot of books.
It says, I think, that you, as much, and more than most, are trying to understand and improve yourself, your craft and humankind.
An impressive list. Makes my list of Dresden File, suspense and mystery novels pale.
Read Without Remorse by Clancy a couple of years ago. Like all his books, but he's gotten so rich now he lends his name to others efforts to imitate him.
Thanks for your kind words about my today post.
Impressive list, Jean! I think I've read about five of those: Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Without Remorse, To Kill A Mockingbird, Night. Yup, that's it.
I'm in a book club so I read at least one book a month. So far the BEST book that we read was Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I HIGHLY recommend it for women, not so much for men, definitely a chick book but a really good one.
I love to read when I go on vacation. I have a big fat biography of Brahms by Jan Swafford ready to go, and a bunch of historical novels. Can't wait!
Mark - ah, well... you probably DO more than I do! Plus, I had cable cut off more than two years ago so the only tv I watch is my movies on dvd.
Larry - My favorite readings are bios and autobios. Other people's lives fascinate me.(envy? escapism? answers through others?) That's the only Clancy book I've read so far, recommended by a friend. I liked it.
Your post was beautiful :)
Sparrow - ooooh, a bio of Brahms... sounds interesting! I will check out the Gilbert book. Thanks.
I get a 30-minute lunch break at work. I keep at least one book and my notebook in my car. And, I take them to restaurants for my dining entertainment :)
Brahms was a really fascinating character. I listened to an audio course that was a biography of Brahms from the Teaching Company given by Professor Robert Greenberg. I loved the course, he's a wonderful lecturer. It made me want to know more, hence the book.
I still have my cable, like EVERY CHANNEL (except the Playboy channel)which explains why I don't read as much as I should. I need the vegetation time. If I read at night, it actually wakes me up and I stay up too late. But only if the book is good...
Sparrow - oh, yes, reading will keep me up wayyyyy too late if I don't pay attention to the clock.
Which, I usually don't.
Uhhg. Read? I haven't done so since I was... 16, other than texts. I am happy someone supports the industry, the laggards would starve if my interest was their food. Most have little to say that I cannot imagine, imagine more then understand, and are just wrong the rest of the time, mostly. But then, that's me.
Hey, glad you at least wrote something. I was actually coming here to call you out. Uh-oh, your a writer too! Urhm, but that's ok, so am it. Your different than the above, or I wouldn't be here. I fit the above, more or less, but I don't really have to read my material. hehehe
An impressive list, indeed. A few years back I read a similar volume and frequency, if not the quality, as you. The thing that has interfered with that most, has been working for myself. Owning your own business has many advantages. Working 60 hour weeks is not one of them. So, that's another thing your list says about you -- you are not a self-employed entrepreneur.,
Wonderful list. . I'm afraid my reading has fallen WAY off. When I was flying and would have layovers I used to read 2 or three books a week. Now I get home and there's yard and house and laundry and walking Yogi and writing for the blog. Throw in care for two elderly parents. I'm lucky to read one or two books a month. I just finished "How the Irish Saved Civilization" and Terry Prachett "The Colour of Money" Both fine reads.
Holy shit! Yeah, I really SHOULD cut the cable. I read maybe 10-15 pages before bed. How was the Clapton bio? That' high-high-high on my list.
30 books so far this year? Gee whiz. That's like one every...
take the one,
carry the seven,
add the 3
... a lot!
I get through about 1 a month.
Maybe I need to cut off my cable. And my child. *grin*
Doom - I have always loved to read. Some of it helps inspire my own words.
Were ya gettin' worried? Thanks :)
Winston - self-employed? no.no.no.
However, I wish had your required level of motivation and discipline to do that. I am a slug.
Scully - I remember the list you posted a while back. I am willing to bet your total list is way beyond mine.
Rick - I think you would like the Clapton auto-bio a LOT. He includes a lot of musical/technical info that was over my head. Probably fascinating to you.
Otherwise... the man is lucky to be alive! I loved the book.
Dave - I have 3 or 4 in process, but they're turning out to be dull, slow reads. Bios of Einstein and Dylan Thomas are two.
Irrel - You're another super-busy fella!
I read Pat your reading list. Without telling her anything other than the list, she says you have good taste in what you read. She also LOVES to read bios and autobios... it's her favorite.
Mick - heh... told ya I like her!
Yeah, and a little lonely. Some people still talk to me, others not so much. (Was that sad? I'm really working that, lately. Good, ain't I? :p). But, yeah, I suppose a little worried, too.
No.
Music and techie aside, Eric & I have/had the same demons. ;-)
I so love to read. I have done, all my life. Voraciously.
Emma, just now. There are times I set up all my Jane Austen and go through them in certain orders. I'm still lacking her *Letters* (what's left after nasty Cassandra tossed the really good ones in the dumpster!!!!!), and sometimes I skip the juvenilia and the novel fragments.
Mockingbird is so totally underrated as a just plain all around whacking good STORY. My nephew found me reading it a couple years ago, and great as that man is, he was startled:
--Why are you reading THIS again?!?
Took me a minute. Again: meaning, it's a school assignment book, to be read under coercion.
Naturally, I replied,
--Because it's FUN!
An oft-used reply from me. Because it usually is the correct answer to that eternal WHY everyone's always quizzing me with.
Why in the world are so many people so surprised that a good reason to do something is because it's fun?
I'm happy for me, there. But sometimes, sad for them.
single... no kids here too. Probably why I have so mnay books around. I should make a list of what I've read this year as well.
Jean,
I am impressed........all that AND dumpster filling.....but your list reminds me of a recent comic strip...."Elderly lady brings a list of books to her bookstore....when asked why....She replies....... "Oh these are the books I already have, I don't want duplicates"
I KNOW you have done that!
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