I miss writing, and I am not referring to creating stories, articles, or other written works. I mean that I miss writing with a real pen; I miss putting words down on a real piece of paper and seeing what I've written right there in front of me in blue (my preferred choice of ink color). For me, writing with a pen is more natural than typing on a keyboard.
When I was young, I did not even use computers; in the mid-1980's, computers were a luxury that neither my family nor my school owned. Therefore, I would write all of my stories and lists and articles in a looseleaf binder or on a legal pad or in a notebook. My father worked for a printing company and would bring home extra supplies, so paper was never in short order at our house. We had pads of lined and unlined paper, piles of steno books, binders and looseleaf, all kept in a little cabinet in the basement. I can remember the types of paper I used to write my first stories. One story was about a family that found a little dog while en route to Alaska; it was written on fourteen tiny lined pages in a binder that could not have been more than six inches tall.
I kept a typewriter in the basement on a small table; this was where I would transfer my writings into a legible form. When I was nine years old, I started a community newspaper called the New Dorp Action. It was based on the happenings in my neighborhood. It included comics, recipes, contests, and reports of any gossip on my block. I was the managing editor, publisher, and head staff writer. A friend who lived next door was also a staff writer. I think I peaked at nine.
In any case, I've never become a very fast typer. Even through college and into adulthood, I would physically write everything down on paper, and then type it up on the computer. However, in the past couple of years, I've begun to write directly on the computer; it's less time-consuming and it's easier for editing purposes. Also, I don't end up with a heap of hand-written thoughts and stories that I claim I will type up later.
Lately, I've started to miss physically writing on paper. There is something about a pen and paper that, for me, lends itself to better writing. Maybe it is eccentricity. In any case, as of today, I am digging up all of my pens out of desk drawers and bags, and putting them back to work.
More about The Martian Chronicles
"When I was a kid my folks took me to visit Mexico City. I'll always remember the way my father acted--loud and big. And my mother didn't like the people because they were dark and didn't wash enough. And my sister wouldn't talk to most of them." ... "Anything that's strange is no good to the average American. If it doesn't have Chicago plumbing, it's nonsense." [spoken by Jeff Spender in a chapter of The Martian Chronicles entitled "June 2001: And the Moon Still Be As Bright"]
Spender portays his family as close-minded, ignorant and ethnocentric. He goes on to insinuate that his family's actions reflect that of an average American. Does this excerpt truly describe a typical American's attitude toward other cultures?
What do you think?
Spender portays his family as close-minded, ignorant and ethnocentric. He goes on to insinuate that his family's actions reflect that of an average American. Does this excerpt truly describe a typical American's attitude toward other cultures?
What do you think?
Ray Bradbury: The Martian Chronicles
"Marriage made people old and familiar, while still young." [Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles]
This is one of the things that I love about Mr. Bradbury's writing - the way he weaves thoughts about everyday human nature into his science fiction stories. Many science fiction novels are not just entertainment, but are commentaries on society, and contain predictions of what the author thinks may ocurr or is already ocurring. Ray Bradbury works his observations of everyday life into his writing as well.
This is one of the things that I love about Mr. Bradbury's writing - the way he weaves thoughts about everyday human nature into his science fiction stories. Many science fiction novels are not just entertainment, but are commentaries on society, and contain predictions of what the author thinks may ocurr or is already ocurring. Ray Bradbury works his observations of everyday life into his writing as well.
Welcome additions?
New words I've learned...
I was engaged in a game of Scrabble the other day when my opponent placed the letters B-I-Z on the board and declared that this is a word. "That's ridiculous!" I shouted, grabbing the dictionary indignantly. "I am challenging your word," I said, confident that this was some sort of unofficial slang word.
I lost my next turn. According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, "biz" is, in fact, a word. There are many unwelcome little words which have popped up in the latest dictionaries lately. Here are a few I've discovered.
gabfest: (n) an informal gathering for general talk.
jag: (v) prick, stab; cut indentations into.
just-folks: (adj) marked by the absence of formality or sophistication.
biz: (n) business.
What do you think of these odd little slang words that have made their way into the dictionary? Are they welcome additions, signs of the evolution of our language, or just unpleasant-sounding slang terms that do not deserve acknowledgment?
I was engaged in a game of Scrabble the other day when my opponent placed the letters B-I-Z on the board and declared that this is a word. "That's ridiculous!" I shouted, grabbing the dictionary indignantly. "I am challenging your word," I said, confident that this was some sort of unofficial slang word.
I lost my next turn. According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, "biz" is, in fact, a word. There are many unwelcome little words which have popped up in the latest dictionaries lately. Here are a few I've discovered.
gabfest: (n) an informal gathering for general talk.
jag: (v) prick, stab; cut indentations into.
just-folks: (adj) marked by the absence of formality or sophistication.
biz: (n) business.
What do you think of these odd little slang words that have made their way into the dictionary? Are they welcome additions, signs of the evolution of our language, or just unpleasant-sounding slang terms that do not deserve acknowledgment?
Electronic versus Traditional (Paper) Books
Is the Amazon Kindle the wave of the future, or just a passing fad?
The Amazon Kindle - a literary revolution; the gadget every book lover has been waiting for...? The Kindle gives you more than one-hundred thousand titles at your fingertips, and the ability to hold an entire bookshelf in the palm of your hand. Is this the beginning of the end for paperbacks and those cherished hardcovers?
Some say that this is a fad that will pass. True book lovers do not necessarily want to read a book from a tiny illuminated screen. You cannot turn the pages of a screen. You cannot display it proudly on your shelf in your living room for guests to admire and friends to borrow. You cannot flip through the pages, gaze at the cover, nor bring it to a book-signing to be autographed.
In addition, the Kindle can hold a little more than 200 titles at a time. My bookshelf, depending on the size, can probably hold more. And if it can't, I can get another shelf. Now I am wondering what happens to the over-flow of titles once you've reached the 200+ limit? Do you have to delete titles you've purchased already? If so, that would seem like a big waste of money.
The Kindle runs on a battery. My book does not; as long as there is some dim light somewhere in the room, I can read it.
Now what about the economics of it? The Kindle itself retails for $399.00. Kindle books range in price; the lowest I found was $6.39, and the highest was $3,120. The latter price was for some type of multi-volume encyclopedic reference, and is not typical of a Kindle book. On average it seems like there is a cost savings in purchasing the Kindle book over a new hardcover book, between about ten and thirty percent. The savings of a Kindle book over an old-fashioned paperback is somewhat lower. And keep in mind, if you are not opposed to buying used books, you can sometimes get quite a bargain; when making my comparison, I was able to find many used books on Amazon that were actually lower in price than the same Kindle e-book.
When I think about it, I would rather put the $399 that I would fork over for the Kindle toward $399 worth of books.
Now consider, if you are the type of person who needs to paw through reference volumes and textbooks, the Kindle may be for you. You can easily search for specific parts in the book, and do not have to lug around heavy volumes. If you are a college student or even a researcher or professor, this type of device may be perfect for you.
If you are mainly a reader of fiction and non-fiction paperbacks like me, you may not see as much value in a device like the Kindle. Plus, I just prefer the familiarity of real paper book.
At least for now, I think I will stick with traditional paper books.
What do you think?
The Amazon Kindle - a literary revolution; the gadget every book lover has been waiting for...? The Kindle gives you more than one-hundred thousand titles at your fingertips, and the ability to hold an entire bookshelf in the palm of your hand. Is this the beginning of the end for paperbacks and those cherished hardcovers?
Some say that this is a fad that will pass. True book lovers do not necessarily want to read a book from a tiny illuminated screen. You cannot turn the pages of a screen. You cannot display it proudly on your shelf in your living room for guests to admire and friends to borrow. You cannot flip through the pages, gaze at the cover, nor bring it to a book-signing to be autographed.
In addition, the Kindle can hold a little more than 200 titles at a time. My bookshelf, depending on the size, can probably hold more. And if it can't, I can get another shelf. Now I am wondering what happens to the over-flow of titles once you've reached the 200+ limit? Do you have to delete titles you've purchased already? If so, that would seem like a big waste of money.
The Kindle runs on a battery. My book does not; as long as there is some dim light somewhere in the room, I can read it.
Now what about the economics of it? The Kindle itself retails for $399.00. Kindle books range in price; the lowest I found was $6.39, and the highest was $3,120. The latter price was for some type of multi-volume encyclopedic reference, and is not typical of a Kindle book. On average it seems like there is a cost savings in purchasing the Kindle book over a new hardcover book, between about ten and thirty percent. The savings of a Kindle book over an old-fashioned paperback is somewhat lower. And keep in mind, if you are not opposed to buying used books, you can sometimes get quite a bargain; when making my comparison, I was able to find many used books on Amazon that were actually lower in price than the same Kindle e-book.
When I think about it, I would rather put the $399 that I would fork over for the Kindle toward $399 worth of books.
Now consider, if you are the type of person who needs to paw through reference volumes and textbooks, the Kindle may be for you. You can easily search for specific parts in the book, and do not have to lug around heavy volumes. If you are a college student or even a researcher or professor, this type of device may be perfect for you.
If you are mainly a reader of fiction and non-fiction paperbacks like me, you may not see as much value in a device like the Kindle. Plus, I just prefer the familiarity of real paper book.
At least for now, I think I will stick with traditional paper books.
What do you think?
Spotlight Author: Jewel
I have liked Jewel's music for a long time, but it was only in the past year that I began to appreciate her as an author as well. A Night Without Armor is a book of poetry. Chasing Down the Dawn is a sort of memoir / autobiography in prose; it is an exquisite and touching piece of work. In it, she talks about her childhood and details her struggles, giving the reader a glimpse into the days before she became popular, and also discusses the first years of fame and how she adjusted to this new way of life.
Books on the agenda for this week...
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
I cannot say enough about Mr. Bradbury's writing. His books are so captivating that once I begin reading one, I tune out the rest of the world; walls could fall down around me and I would find it difficult to glance up from my page. I have been wanting to read The Martian Chronicles for some time, but something always seems to get in the way. I bought it several months ago and it has been sitting on my bookshelf ever since. This weekend, I resolved to begin reading it.
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Even though I am quite a fan of Ms. Tan's writing, I have never read this book nor seen the movie. I plan to begin reading it as well this week.
Choose Your Own Adventure!
As a kid, these were some of my favorite books! I can remember reading them in the library in my grade school (by myself of course, as I was a nerd and was ostracized by the rest of the children). It was fun to get lost in the story, and unlike real life, when you choose an adventure and end up not liking the ending, you can just go back and choose a different one!
Choose Your Own Adventure Books now have a website where you can check out all of their new releases and purchase books. I haven't read one of these since I was about nine or ten years old, but I may buy one now; I wonder if I will enjoy these books as an adult as much as I did as a child? If not, it will be nice to have one on the shelf for the sake of nostalgia. The author, R.A. Montgomery, even has his own blog in which he documents his real adventures.
If you have kids or even are a bit of a kid yourself, check out these books. If you do not want to buy them, check your local library; Choose Your Own Adventure Books have been around since the late 1970's, so I'm sure you'll be able to find some.
Choose Your Own Adventure Books now have a website where you can check out all of their new releases and purchase books. I haven't read one of these since I was about nine or ten years old, but I may buy one now; I wonder if I will enjoy these books as an adult as much as I did as a child? If not, it will be nice to have one on the shelf for the sake of nostalgia. The author, R.A. Montgomery, even has his own blog in which he documents his real adventures.
If you have kids or even are a bit of a kid yourself, check out these books. If you do not want to buy them, check your local library; Choose Your Own Adventure Books have been around since the late 1970's, so I'm sure you'll be able to find some.
Content versus Style
For me, no matter how captivating the plot of a book is, if it is not well-written, I really cannot enjoy it. It will therefore not make a good impression on me; I will read it solely to find out what happens in the story. If I am able to get through the entire book, I will most likely toss it aside and never read it again (or sell it on Amazon:).
The best book, of course, and the best kind of writer, is one who combines exquisite writing with intriguing and unique content. At times, such writers are able to capture a human emotion or thought so subtle, that they bring to light ideas which may be buried deep in our subconscious, or things we have felt in our lives and have never been able to put into words. They inspire us. These are the types of authors that I most admire. For this reason, Ray Bradbury, Paulo Coelho and Joanne Harris are among my favorites. These authors weave their vocabulary so incredibly that the sentence itself becomes a work of art. Here are some examples from two of my favorite novels.
"But still, we raced faster as the years wore on, staying a month, two at the most, then moving on like fugitives facing the sunset. It took me some years to understand that it was death we fled." [Chocolat by Joanne Harris, Penguin Putnam Inc., 1999]
"Somewhere in him, a shadow turned mournfully over. You had to run with a night like this, so the sadness could not hurt." [Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, Harper Collins, 1999]
Which is more important to you when reading and rating a book: content or style? What authors do you feel excel in both aspects?
The best book, of course, and the best kind of writer, is one who combines exquisite writing with intriguing and unique content. At times, such writers are able to capture a human emotion or thought so subtle, that they bring to light ideas which may be buried deep in our subconscious, or things we have felt in our lives and have never been able to put into words. They inspire us. These are the types of authors that I most admire. For this reason, Ray Bradbury, Paulo Coelho and Joanne Harris are among my favorites. These authors weave their vocabulary so incredibly that the sentence itself becomes a work of art. Here are some examples from two of my favorite novels.
"But still, we raced faster as the years wore on, staying a month, two at the most, then moving on like fugitives facing the sunset. It took me some years to understand that it was death we fled." [Chocolat by Joanne Harris, Penguin Putnam Inc., 1999]
"Somewhere in him, a shadow turned mournfully over. You had to run with a night like this, so the sadness could not hurt." [Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, Harper Collins, 1999]
Which is more important to you when reading and rating a book: content or style? What authors do you feel excel in both aspects?
The Fictional Hero
I think the reason we love the heroes in books and movies so much is simply this - most of us are cowards; that is, there are things we want to say in our lives that we sometimes hold back because of our inhibitions, or because of the potential consequences. For example, I might refrain from mouthing off to my boss about something because I fear the consequence, i.e. getting fired! The heroes in books and movies do what we have not the courage to do, and say what we have not the strength to say. We worship these characters for acting in situations the way we wish we could act, were there not consequences. We all love the down-trodden employee who finally stands up to his boss at the end of a movie, because most of us have to answer to managers and supervisors that do not treat us exactly how we want to be treated, and tell us to do things that we do not agree with. We love the character who has the courage to step off the "beaten path," and live out her life the way she wants to, even though it means taking a big risk, much like the hero in the movie Jerry MacGuire. This is the reason why I love Fight Club so much; for aren't many of us (in some ways) like Edward Norton's character? We imagine ourselves doing the things which we know are brave and/or crazy; we want to be Tyler Durden, but are too afraid. Who is your favorite fictional hero? Why and how do you relate to him or her?
Introduction
My intention is to review new books and films, as well as to take a fresh look at older works and share my appreciation for them. Books are precious; they contain new ideas, convey information, enable one to see things from a different perspective (if one reads them with an open mind). To be honest, I sometimes worry that people do not read anymore. Sure, the New York Times Bestseller List surely proves my concern is irrelevant. However, do all the people who buy those books and make the number of copies sold rise, actually read the books, I wonder. I consider myself a fairly enthusiastic reader, and I admit that I buy books with the intention of reading them, and sometimes do not open them for many days, weeks, months. Or, in some cases, the book simply does not hold my interest, so I certainly cannot claim to have read it. And what is to become of the classics, or even some older books which may not be considered classics, but which may be quite good and interesting anyway? Do we pay attention to these books? I am wondering how many of you consider yourselves avid readers, moderate readers, or non-readers. Do you purchase new books and never get through them? Do you read the classics or older books? Leave behind a comment, if you do not mind.
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